Free Me a Butterfly
by RoseNightenDove
Summary: Act Two of the Butterfly Chronicles. Kurama/Yoko x OC Rexi runs into Yoko during his fight in the Dark Tournament and is now assigned to his protection. Will she be able to do it without being reminded of her dead lover Yoko? Or will she fall for Suichi?
1. Chapter 1

**Note from the author: All right, before you read this have you read Color me a butterfly? If not, some of this will not make any sense what so ever. Please go back to my profile and choose that series first. **

**Second of all, Welcome to the sequel to Color me a Butterfly where we continue the tale of Yoko/Kurama and Choucho. **

**Some changes to keep in mind::**

**I am keeping to the relative story line of YYH so that means the fights stay the same, I'll just be inserting Maze, Rexi/Choucho, and my own dialogue occasionally. Also, as you might read, she no longer goes by Choucho but by Rexi. This change will be explained in a further distant chapter. :) Please keep in mind that Rexi = Choucho and Choucho= Rexi. **

**I hope you enjoy~ :: Rosey**

Chapter 1

A young woman ran down the hallway. "Come on Maze!" she cried, "We are going to miss the fight." Her kimono—bright silver with flecks of gold—kept tripping her and kept her from running at her full speed. She wished, oh boy did she wish, that she had brought her normal fighting outfit instead of this beautiful yet unsuitable dress kimono. Her eyes, brown like milk chocolate, were focused solely on the exit ahead of her; her sand color hair was whipping behind her in a short efficient braid.

The man next to her was having no trouble keeping up, but he didn't say anything to counter her as his black eyes shifted one way and then the other. He was looking out for her as she looked out for others. His own sand colored skin contrasted with his black hair, giving the impression of some Asian—or maybe Asian mix decent or that he was simply human. Only if one looked at his teeth which were all sharp, would one be able to tell that he was in fact a demon.

Finally they made it to the stairs that led into the crowded seats of the stadium. She stopped and looked for their targets. When she stopped, her eyes were drawn to the field below. A young man with red hair was playing whip-around-the-rosey with his opponent a kid with a fishing line. And then something happened to cause the young red head to cry out in pain and send his whip flying. When it hit the ground several feet away it it transformed back into a red rose. Then he was running, dodging attack after attack from the little kid. Rexi Choucho Ysandi forgot about protecting the four girls Koenma had said were so important- Keiko, Suzuru, Botan (who she already knew) and a demoness named Yukina he had named them. All she wanted to do was run down there and—

"Rexi, we are over here!" cried Botan, the bubbly grim reaper, as she waved her hand excitedly. Rexi jerked out of her stunned state and went to sit with them, a large plastic smile on her lips. "Everyone this is a guard that Koenma's sent for us. She'll be protecting us with the help of Maze there to keep demons from annoying us." Botan explained to the three other girls as Rexi's attention was once again captured by the men below.

Wait! "Where'd they go?" Rexi demanded, bringing their attention to the ring again. A smoke cloud had enveloped it, staying within a force field that had been raised. Rexi's body stiffed. Her sense of spirit energy said that Team Urameshi's team member was losing his spirit energy.

Maze took the position as body guard, knowing why Rexi had become so intense on the fight. She was watching it as if she was losing someone forever. Then lightning started to run through the clouds. Rexi launched from her seat, cheering as if someone had won the super bowl as the power surge rose. And rose. And rose. Maze smiled. Botan looked scared. She had never seen Rexi show an ounce of emotions since she had met her fifteen years ago and yet here she was showing it.

The fog started to dissipate and Rexi was practically jumping three feet in the air to look over the demon in front of her. In fact, she was climbing her way like a chipmunk up Maze's body to sit on his head to get a better view. It she could have, Maze thought, she'd grow wings and fly down there. But then again, if she got off his head he could fly her down there for her.

"He's not dead Maze! He's not dead!" Rexi kept crying as she launched herself forward. Fifteen years of thinking He was dead. Six more months not knowing. Now she knew. And boy, she could have provided enough energy to power a full city and this stadium for a year. She hoped from one head to the next until she hopped over the wall that separated the stands from the field.

She watched with love struck eyes and fascination as Yoko Kurama Used his Death Tree to terrorize the foolish child-demon-thing. He was bawling, asking for forgiveness. He was promising him all the information he wanted. But then someone was interfering with the fight and killed the poor beast that had acquired Yoko Kurama's displeasure. She didn't even notice the human and demon next to her that made up the rest of Team Urameshi at the moment.

Then Yoko was vanishing and the redhead returned.

"No!"

Rexi's voice rang over everyone else. "Give him back you stupid red haired demon spawn! Give me Yoko back!" she screamed, anger appearing on her face as he came towards her. Suichi Minamino was confused for sure. Who was this woman screaming at him to return Yoko? Didn't she know it didn't work that way?

"excuse me, but do I know you?" he asked as Kuwabara went up for his battle.

Rexi trembled as he watched her with confusion. She wanted to claw at him. She wanted to cry. There was so many things she wanted to do to this human that she was afraid she'd snap again like she had when her sister had played that horrible trick on her all those centuries ago. But her mind slowly processed it. This was his human form. There was no way to separate her Yoko and this polite pretty boy. The short demon walked over and watched her sag as the knowledge took control of her brain.

"A fan girl already Kurama?" he asked, voice full of scorn at her reaction.

"I-" Kurama began, his green eyes locking with her own chocolate ones as Maze jumped down to land next to her.

"Rexi, come. We need to pay attention to our job and protect the girls. You'll have plenty of time to demand things from these men later when Lord Koenma allows it." he said, ignoring the other two demons as he took her by the shoulder and turned her from Kurama and Hiei before she did snap. "Good day and bloody fighting to you." he told the two demons before picking the girl up like she weighed nothing. Then in one jump, he pushed himself up into the air and floated down next to the other four girls as if they both were a leaf on the wind. He put the girl he carried down in her seat as the other four watched her in stunned silence.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The fights finished quickly for Rexi. One moment she was pleading—no demanding really—the returned of Yoko and the next she was waiting next to the toddler form of Koenma in the team's hotel room. They were going to be back any moment and she didn't think she'd be able to do this.

"Lord Koenma-"

"Yes you have to apologize. We can't have them distracted from getting ready for the final battle." the toddler told her sternly as the door opened and the Team along with the girls poured in, celebrating their victory. Silence fell however as Rexi rose from where she'd been seated. Hiei ignored her and went to his window seat with an air of wanting to be left alone. That was okay with her. She was only there to speak with Suichi any way. One down. Maybe she could get the rest to leave as well if she waited long enough.

"Koenma, why did you bring Rexi here?" Botan asked, breaking the silence that had built.

"I requested to come." Rexi lied, her eyes focused on the shoes of the people in front of her. While yes she wanted to talk to Suichi again, she didn't want to do it with so many people around. Botan at least knew this Rexi and was comfortable around her. Everyone else had seen a Rexi that hadn't been around since before Yoko was killed by Spirit World's Elite Guard. "I wanted to apologize to Suichi Minamino for yelling at him earlier. And if he doesn't object, talk to him alone."

Yusuke whistled and playfully shoved Kurama who stood next to him towards the girl a little. "Looks like you have yourself and wanna-be girl-" he started before suddenly less than an inch from his face was Rexi. She peered up at him with stony eyes.

"I'll only say this once. I belong with only one demon. That demon is Yoko Kurama the Legendary Bandit. No other human or demon will ever lay a hand on me." She hissed, her voice almost as scary as one of Hiei's glares. It sent shudders down most of the backs of the people in the room. She then calmly turned and walked back slowly to Koenma's side, taking her customary body guard position—one step back and half a step behind him. Her silver and gold kimono had been word to the occasion and she was really wishing she had brought extra clothes. Not being unable to move as fast as she could normally was really starting to rub on her already raw nerves.

"How do you know Yoko, if I may ask." Kurama asked, stepping out in front of his team mates and friends. This girl intrigued him. She had acted as if it was set in stone that she and Yoko were going to end up together. He wanted to know where she got that idea.

Rexi turned cold eyes on Yoko's human form. She couldn't see how he could stand it. It looked so limiting. How could he stand not having a fox's keen hearing or the balance provided by a tail? The disgust on her face astonished Kurama. What had he done wrong now? "I'll only speak with you alone. You needn't worry about your safety though. I won't harm you. You are my last connection to my past." she said, "Now will you speak to me in private or may I return to Maze and get some rest before my guard duties are reinstated?"

Kurama weighed the options before nodding. "We can take a walk if you don't mind." he said, motioning to the door. He knew that if they stayed in the room and had the rest leave that Kuwabara, Botan, and Yusuke would find some way to eavesdrop. He had the slight feeling that if they did they'd find themselves poisoned by morning, though he couldn't tell how he knew that.

Bowing to Koenma, Rexi left the room, brushing quickly pass the other occupants without a word. After they left Yukuse turned to Koenma who looked very pleased with himself. "Koenma, what was that? Who was that crazy chick?"

"That was an old friend of Yoko Kurama's. She's been under the belief that Yoko had been dead for Fifteen years." Koenma said smugly. Oh his plan was working out just fine.

She led the way down through the elevator and then the lobby without saying a word. She couldn't really think of anything to say. After all the years, all she wanted to do was pummel the human form until Yoko returned to her. Which wasn't logical. Not in the least. Finally they were out of the hotel and walking through the woods.

Kurama watched her in silence, trying to figure if he'd ever known her before as a demon. She looked a little familiar. He just couldn't place it. "You knew Yoko when he was a thief?" he asked, trying to get her to talk. She'd gotten him alone after all. No one had followed them as far as he was aware.

"He knew me by something different than Rexi." she said, stopping mid step to look at him with eyes that could only be described as heart damaging. Kurama had never seen a demon who had allowed their heart to be crushed. He didn't even think it was possible. Most demons didn't have feelings towards other demons. At least, he assumed this girl who looked so human was a demon. It was the only reason she could have known Yoko before today. She looked no older than sixteen due to her small frame and rather non-existent chest area. She couldn't be any taller than 5'3'' or maybe 5'4'' if you pushed it.

"What is your name then?" he probed.

Rexi looked at the darkening sky. "come. I always find the sea beautiful at times like this." She said, changing topics away from her again. She began walking again. Kurama had no choice but to follow.

Rexi walked out of the forest they had tented to a cliff that hung over the ocean. She looked down at the red and gold ocean as the dying lights of the sun played off it. She couldn't help but smile. This was a sunset that could begin things between a couple. Her mind halted, ad she remembered why she was there and who she was with. The object of her thoughts stepped forward, watching the ocean as well. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes. His green eyes were sparkling like the ocean did as the sun played off them as well. A breeze played with his long red hair. For a split second she could almost see Yoko's pale form within this human.

"Have you ever head or Ysandi demons?" Rexi asked. It was only natural that if Yoko was locked inside this human that some of his memories were gone as well, or at lest locked away. Maybe she'd learn to forgive him for choosing this destiny rather than death. She doubted she'd ever be able to feel the same for this human form that was between them reuniting and going off to their dream again.

"Ysandi? It sounds familiar but no. What are they?" Kurama asked, turning to look at her again. She suddenly felt as if she were swimming in a forest of emeralds as they locked eyes for a moment.

She tore her gaze away and moved to sit on the rock nearest her, motioning for him to sit as well on a rock a few feet away. "Ysandi Demons are demons that look completely human but get their powers from their blood mixed with paints made form the blood their Bond. Their bond is always a Ysandi Butterfly. Many demon fairy tales about Ysandi's claim that the union of these two demon's bloods creates something holy or spirit filled and will boil a demon so badly they beg for death." Rexi explained, sounding scornful of the follies of other demons.

"While some Ysandi's can and do make poisons that can boil a person from fever, there isn't anything spiritual or holy about their weapons nor in their bodies." She looked at Kurama sidelong, facing the ocean instead of him.

"They are rare because they do not want enslavement for their powers." Kurama suddenly added, as if remembering a lesson he had been taught in elementary school. Her story had opened up a line of thought for him.

"Correct." Rexi said, unable to hid the slight happiness that came forth when he seemed to remember something. "Yoko knew one. Actually he worked with on, and her name was Choucho. In Japanese it means-"

"Butterfly." Kurama asked, translating the word easily. "I suppose that fits if she was truly a Ysandi demon."

She felt insulted for a moment. Of course she was a Ysandi! How dare this human think she wasn't. "Yes." she snapped, "It did fit me back then!" Humans could be so stupid at times. Even if this human was part Yoko, this was rediculous.

Kurama blinked, embarrassment crossing his face as he held up his hands to offer up submission. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just meant you talked about Ysandi's like they were myths." he explained hastily. Could he defend himself against her if she really could poison him with her own blood? Would she hurt him even if he was her last connection to Yoko?

Rexi's eyes shot away from him. Yoko had laughed at her and thought the same thing when she ad revealed herself to him after that first heist. Her mind replayed the memory. He'd had so many plans thought up on how to take advantage of her gifts. "You are a little like him. That I'll admit." she finally spoke, much calmer now. Thinking about Yoko always did that for her. Her voice held a wish for days long gone; for times when she and Yoko joked of running away from the Bandit business and making a nice settled life.

Kurama watched her with astonishment. Him? Like Yoko? While yes, he was technically him, Yoko was much more brutal in battle and not as polite. "I'm honor." he finally manage. He didn't know of any other demon that was alive that had known Yoko. And for one that seemed to be so close to Yoko to tell him that he was similar was something he had never expected.

Now it was Rexi's turn to look shocked. But then she couldn't help but be pleased. At least he wasn't going to deny having anything in common with Yoko. She'd have to kick or maybe punch him if he did that.

"So how close were you to Yoko? The way you spoke in the room it seemed as if you two were far more than demons that worked together." Kurama asked as the last rays of the sun played off her outfit making it shimmer. "It also seemed to me that you were going to kill me I I didn't turn back into Yoko after that fight."

Rexi's happiness flew away then on the rays of the sun. "We were..." How could she explain it? "You do know about Kuronue, correct? He was a big part of Yoko's history. If you don't-" she started.

"Yes. Kuronue was my best friend when I was a demon. He died 216 years ago." Kurama said, self doubt filling him. He always wondered if he could have saved him from the bamboo and if that would have kept himself from dying in the future and being stuck in human form. "You knew him as well?"

"yes. Kuronue and I. We were lovers of a sense. We never did anything serious because things got in the way of that, but we loved each other very much." Rexi said, a small smile of happiness at the memories fell onto her face and then into her eyes. "After he died, Yoko kept me from doing some pretty stupid things. We became very close friends. Closer than I think I've ever been with anyone else. When we weren't fighting over one thing or another." She said with a laugh, remembering a time when everything they fought about was trivial—should she go after this treasure or another.

Kurama watched her with green eyes that were bright despite the lack of sun or moonlight. "You three sound very close." he told her before rising. "We both need to sleep however." he said almost stumbling as his fights that day finally took their toll on his body. She was there an instant later, supporting him. When he was stable again, she pulled away, her hands lingering on his shoulder.

What had she been doing? He didn't know her. At least not any more. But he thanked her nonetheless and they began to move back towards the hotel. It was then that Kurama noticed a ring on her left hand. It reminded him of the way she had said only Yoko could ever lay a hand on her back in the room. "Are you married?" he asked, politely.

Rexi looked at her hand and for the first time blushed, "No."

"What about that man that came, picked you up and practically flew the two of you up to your seats earlier?" Kurama asked.

"That was my Bond Maze. Ysandi Butterflies can choose to take human for at will. Bond's don't marry or have children together. It would be like marrying the other part of one's own soul. He feels as I do about most things and the same is true for me with him. We even can sometimes communicate telepathically if we are near enough." Rexi explained, "No, this ring is from someone else. I keep it close because it was the last thing I received from them."

No matter how much more he probed, she didn't give him a name. By the time he gave up they were outside the door to the teams room. She entered after he did, looking around as the room suddenly went quiet. They party had started after they had left and now they were more interested in what had happened.

She ignored them and went to Koenma's side without hesitation. The toddler watched with interest as Kurama joined his friends calmly as if nothing had happened during the thirty minutes they had been gone. Well, if plan A hadn't worked it was time for plan B.

"Kurama, now that you've met Rexi, and the rest of the team has, I'm going to reassign her to your group. In particular, she's going to be doing background on your opponents and keeping your families under surveillance. To make sure that no one goes after them And if they do she'll handle it personally." Koenma announced. "She has a good spy network that I trust in fully."

Needless to say the room burst into a noisy mess but the loudest objection was from Rexi. "You are going to make me protect human's Koenma sir? I hate humans! They are stupid and can't do anything right-"

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled, "I'm human! And I'm the spirit detective."

"My point has been proven." Rexi said sarcastically. "Koenma just let me work out the rest of my years as your bodyguard."

"My decision is final. You'll be staying here with them to get info on their families whom you will protect or more years will be added onto your sentence." Koenma said, "If you do this successfully, I will knock off 3000 years off your sentence so you only have to serve me for 985 more years."

Rexi was about to argue some more. But three thousand years was a long time to deal with this Limbo blasted toddler. She weighted the pros and cons while the rest of the room put up their own protests to the idea. She'd be stuck looking after Botan, the girls and the team as well as their families. She'd get to spend more time with the human bound Yoko. She'd have to protect humans. Yoko might show up again. Humans. Yoko. Stupid humans. Smart, sexy, amazing Yoko. Only 985 years left on her sentence.

"Fine." She said, smiling as the pros outweighed the cons. She could stand the idiocy of humans could she not? "Can I get better clothes though?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He—No Yoko—was sneaking into a room with Rexi—no that wasn't her name either. It was Choucho. They were going to pull off the biggest heist of the century. She went in first, looking for traps. The cage slammed down on her five seconds after she entered the room. He rushed forward, ignoring her cries to leave. He used all his demonic strength to try and get her out. His heart was demanding that he save her. He wouldn't leave her like he had with Kuronue.

"Go Yoko! It's a trap!" she yelled at him. He cupped her face in his hands through the bars as he heard the guards near the room. Their lips met. He didn't want to leave—

Kurama bolted up, sweating heavily. His bed covers were tangled around his legs. The dream was already fading and he was having trouble remembering anything but the name Choucho. He cupped his face with his left hand, hiding that half of his face. After a few moments of getting his breath back, he got out of bed and moved out of the room into the living room where he walked to Hiei's side. The fire apparition was on the window sill stills taring out at the scene before him.

"What do you know about a demon named Choucho?" Kurama asked, knowing that while Hiei could sleep with his eyes opened, he didn't normally.

Hiei turned to look at his partner in crime. "Choucho the Steel Butterfly?" he asked, smirking. "Enough to know that she's trouble. A thief of Yoko's caliber and an A-class demon when in the same room as her Giant Ysandi butterfly."

"Tell me everything you know about her." Kurama requested, his eyes turning to the moon that hovered over the ocean. He had maybe two or three hours before daylight offered him a chance to work on getting stronger for his fight against Karasu.

Rexi woke the next morning tired and not in the least refreshed. She'd spent most of the night in Spirit World talking to her spies about their new project. Many of them were demons from her thief days who had been caught by Spirit World on different thefts. They now worked for her instead of being in prison. After talking to them she now knew two things:

1) The girls were very important and needed her personal protection. Especially Yukina and Keiko.

2) She would barely have any time to get Yoko to come back out if this tournament went the way the fates said it was going to. Kurama was set on fighting Karasu and he would die if he did.

She gathered the files she had on everything and went to the portal that would send her to the hotel room. Maze went first to make sure there wasn't an ambush. When she felt calm enough, she jumped in. Maze caught her before she landed on someone's lap. Apparently the portal opened up right above the couch where Suichi was sitting. She'd have to talk to Koenma about that. Move it to an unoccupied corner or something.

"Rexi, you are early." Botan said, walking in with a plate of food that she was eating from.

It was already 7:30 am. Her duties started at 8. She climbed down from Maze's hold and told Botan as such. "And anyway, I have the stats for the team they are to fight next." she finished, dumping the stack of papers on the toffee table. Kurama put the tea he had been drinking from down and picked up the folder on Karasu. Rexi's heart sank. So he really was set on fighting him?

"You got all this information in one night?" he asked, scanning the packet quickly.

"My network is very large." was all she said to justify all the knowledge. Suddenly an arm looped around her neck and she moved without thinking. She grabbed the wrist that belonged to the arm, thrust her hip back into the body and yanked.

Yusuke went flying across the room. Rexi straightened, looking at the human. Making a sound of disgust, she moved over to make sure he was alive and okay. She would not have the Spirit Detective's death on her hands as well.

"Damn! You really are strong for a pixie." Yusuke joked, laughing as she yanked him up off the floor. When he saw the look of confusion that crossed her face, he blinked.

"A what?" Rexi asked, tilting her head to the side. What was a … pixie?

"A pixie? A short small fairy." Yusuke explained as everyone else watched with interest. Didn't most people know what a pixie was? He used his hand to show what he meant.

Rexi snorted and moved away. "as I have always thought. You really are just an idiot who happens to get things done." she replied pointing at the coffee table. "Now, that the team leader is awake, these are files I've gotten for your fights. I have also placed demons to watch your families and loved ones to make sure your opponents don't try to force you to quit." Explaining done, she sat in the corner, watching them go about their morning duties.

Humans were so weird. That idea was just reinforced as she watched them. The old human came and took Yusuke out and all the while he insulted her. She was a powerful psychic from Rexi's research. How could he not show the proper respect? Then Kuwabara went out to train after fawning over Yukina. That left Hiei, Kurama, Botan and the Girls, and herself. Botan ushered the girls out. Hiei left properly without saying a word; one moment he was there and the next he was gone.

"Now that is a demon that I could come to respect." She said, bringing Kurama out of the file he had been reading. "Maze, go and watch Kuwabara please. I don't trust that human not to get into trouble." Maze nodded and left the room using a walkie-talkie to locate him.

"And what about you? What are you going to do?" Kurama asked, putting the file onto the table again. He'd mule over what he had read later. Now that they were alone, he wanted to test his and Hiei's knowledge about her.

"I'm going to follow you until Yoko shows himself." Rexi told him with an evil grin. "I may have to protect you, but I can still annoy you until he comes and talks to me."

Kurama let a laugh out. "I think you have this the wrong way Miss Rexi. I am as much Yoko as Suichi. The two of us cannot be separated. And he doesn't remember you. Nor do I." he told her as she started to scowl.

"Shut up! You don't know a think about Yoko. He wouldn't forget-"

"Forget about a girl demon that could rival his own skills at thieving?" Kurama asked.

"That too!" Rexi growled, standing from her corner. "You don't know a thing about me Suichi Minamino. As you said," Her voice cracked. "Yoko doesn't remember me." Could it be that he really didn't? That she had lost him from good?

"He doesn't remember you. But that doesn't mean that you weren't his friend." Kurama said, going at her by another way. She could easily go after his human mother or have the demon watching her kill her. He wouldn't risk that. She was obviously shutting down. "Maybe he just forgot about you."

She let out a half-laugh. It was harsh and held no humor. "If you know who I was you wouldn't suggest that. You—you should go train. Karasu will wipe the floor without if you don't find someway to get Yoko out." She wasn't going to listen to him any more. How could Yoko not remember her?

Kurama knew a topic change and a shut down when he heard one and he gave up. She'd open up eventually he supposed. He was curious about not remembering her though. He remembered a lot from being Yoko. Just not this girl who claimed to have been his best friend. "Well then why don't you train with me. You said you weren't going to leave me alone until Yoko did come back out. And I'm curious about what Yusuke experienced. He was right to a point. For someone as delicate looking as you, you threw him quiet a distance." Kurama offered.

Rexi's attitude took a 180 flip. Fight? The two of them? "really? No holding back fighting?" she asked, trying to mask her interest. It was like when Yoko had shown up the day before, she was hopping up and down on the balls of her feet as energy surged through her body.

Kurama found it almost cute the way fighting seemed to take her attention off the bad. "How long has it been since you fought someone?" he asked out of curiosity, rising and going to the door.

"A year. This demon tried to assassinate Lord Koenma. We fought for three hours. It was amazing. I felt like I was in heaven. Before that I'd only had minor demons who I could get rid of in ten minutes." Rexi said as she bounced after him. After Yoko's death, all she had to focus on was fighting and she'd become curiously addicted to it. Or maybe it was the adrenaline that she had gotten hooked on.

They quickly moved out of the hotel and found a secluded clearing. Rexi knew she was at a disadvantage. Plants were Kurama's specialty. She closed her fists. She couldn't use her blood either because it would kill Kruama's body much quicker than a demon's body and she really would lose Yoko. She'd settle with using her body.

She watched as he pulled his rose whip out and took his own fighting stance. And they went at each other. Neither held back. Kurama knew somehow that she could be able to withstand his whip and she did. She wound this way and that, dodging the whip and lashing out with her hands and legs, trying to get a kick in. She was grinning from ear to ear all the while too. She took hits that she couldn't doge in silence though. Even if this was a practice bout, she was not going to disappoint Yoko. She eventually had to start relying on skills that Yoko himself had taught her to only use when she was running out of energy.

Suddenly, she stumbled and came to a halt. A large energy wave pulsated from somewhere on the island. She hadn't felt such energy since the day before when Yoko had appeared. It sent terror filled shivers up her spine as Kurama's whip wound itself around her arms. She didn't struggle, her attention on the energy. It was easily the energy of a B class demon. She wouldn't have worried about it if Maze had been with her. But alone she was no tougher than a c class. Kurama had also felt it and then released her when he noticed it had caught her full attention.

She walked to her own walkie-talkie which she had put at the bottom of a tree and started to talk quickly through it. Her shoulders sagged as the energy spike died down. Only on the job for an hour and she'd already lost one of her charges.

Kurama put a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?" he asked, gasping for breath as his body came down from the fighting they had been doing for a good hour.

"The psychic. Genkai was just killed." she said, looking up at the sky as if to send a prayer to Koenma. Kurama's eyes widened. That was one hell of a power up. He hadn't felt something like that in a long time. That could only be Toguro. They were down one member now. What would that mean for the last match up.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He was fighting other demons. He was testing them. He was having fun.

"That's enough." called Choucho, getting onto the platform. Some of the demons didn't follow her instructions and he threw them back with ease before falling back into a sitting position. She began correcting the new thieves with the attitude of a general to her troops. He watched her as she walked around in her beautiful kimono while puling off the look of someone who knew precisely what she was talking about. Then she spun on him.

"And you Master Yoko let your guard down five times in the last three minutes." she accused.

Kurama's eyes opened and he sighed. Once again, he was sitting pint he middle of the night thinking of that girl. He remembered this dream unlike the last one. It was like watching a film backwards and forgetting the ending.

He was laying back down when he noticed a figure sitting in the window. She wore baggy pants and a baggy tank. He recognized Rexi when she shifted, her head falling into the moonlight. Her eyes were closed and for the first time since he had met her, she looked at peace with the world. He rose and walked over, surprised to find her. She had curled up behind the drape to give him some privacy as he slept, only in doing so she had gotten warm and fallen asleep as well.

He reached out to wake her but stopped. She really had known Yoko, he realized as he looked at her.

_She was my maid. She stopped an assassination attempt on me the day before I asked her to critique that fight._ A deep voice in his mind said. Suichi was used to this. While the true Yoko could not come out at will, he could talk with Suichi if he so chose.

Kurama smiled, watching the girl sleep on with no noticed of her watcher. He suddenly had the indescribable urge to kiss her. Could one blame him though? She was sitting there, sleeping with no defenses up. She looked like someone had simply left her there for him to watch. She seemed to beckon him forward as her lips parted as she let out a sleepy sigh. He put a hand forward to rest against the the glass of the window to support his weight. His other hand he used to reach down and tilt her head up. Despite being touched, she slept on.

His lips almost touched hers before he jerked away. Now he remembered the reason she was there. Genkai's death. She'd refused to leave his side after she'd found out. She'd had her demons step up their guarding efforts and had watched the whole team the rest of the afternoon. He stepped back and went back to his bed, his lips not having touched hers. He laid on top of the sheets so he could stay cool as he lay there and thought. What had he been thinking?

_There's something about her Suichi. There's more I can't remember. Keep her safe for me. I have a feeling she's more important that we both think. She may act like a bitch, but I have a feeling that's just because she doesn't want to get hurt again. _ Yoko said as Suichi smiled and drifted off again.

This time they were in the middle of the desert, a smile or two from a town. Choucho was glaring at him.

"Enough." she said.

"You know, if you are going to eavesdrop, you should wait to the end of a conversation to leave. You won't get the whole story if you leave halfway through." he was telling her, his clawed hand holding onto the girls shoulders. He must be Yoko again. Was it possible this was another memory?

"I heard enough to know that my brother talks to you on a regular basis and you report on me like a spy." She spat at him before looking back at the tree line far away. He recognized the Makai almost immediately.

"First off-" he started. That wouldn't work. He shoved her against a rock next her her, pushing his body against hers to keep her there. Then their lips locked. She shoved him away and started to attack. He withstood the beating and repeated the process. The next time their lips locked, she returned the kiss.

Kurama slowly opened his eyes, realizing it was morning and that the sun was shining into the room without any obstructions. He looked at the window. Rexi was no long there, nor was she in his room. He reached up and rubbed his eyes to get the sleep out of his eyes. What was she? He'd never questioned his memories before he met her and now he was having lustful dreams about her? It didn't matter though. They had the finals today. After this, he wouldn't have to see her again. He could go home to his human mother, protect her himself and be happy again.

He got up and started to get dressed. He was just pulling on the yellow shirt type top that Hiei appeared in the window. "Hello Hiei. Are you ready for the fight?" he asked, turning to him as he straightened the clothes.

"Hm, I should be asking you that. You seemed pretty interested in that girl who was in your room last night." Hiei countered, watching his best friend carefully. "What stopped you from kissing her, Kurama? I'd have thought that the human in you would have approved."

"It's not that I didn't approve Kurama. Believe me, she was mighty tempting just sitting there. But it didn't feel right. Not after Genkai's death. And Yoko didn't want me too. He couldn't tell me why but he thinks she really was part of his group; he just couldn't remember how." Kurama explained, going to stand next to him near the window. "It doesn't matter. The second we are done with this fight today we can all go back to where we want to and I'll never have to deal with her again. I don't like the fact she's been able to get into my dreams either."

Hiei just watched him and then nodded. "I'll meet you on the the way to the match. I want to try something before we begin." he told him before jumping out of the window which allowed some wind to come in and play with Kurama's hair. It also brought his attention to the young woman they had just been discussing. She stood on the ground ten stories below, looking at her watch as she looked around. He smiled involuntarily and closed his window and headed to join his friends. Even though he had told Hiei and himself that he would be glad to get rid of her, he actually wanted to find out why memories of her kept popping up and why he had wanted to kiss her so bad.

Rexi had awoken in Kurama's room with a start just after he had resisted the urge to kiss her, feeling stiff. She stretched and noticed that Kurama was sleeping topless in his bed. While she had noticed that when he had first gone to sleep, she hadn't realized just how much she had missed seeing men like that. His skin was milky under the moonlight. His red hair was dark against that skin and as she moved over to look down at him, she was once more reminded of Yoko. Maybe a very young Yoko, but Yoko nonetheless.

She reached out and traced his chin with her forefinger, leaning down and kissing his cheek before leaving the room silently and jumping through the portal back to Spirit World. She started to get ready to take care of the girl's while watch her lover die for real this time. She didn't believe that Kurama could really beat Karasu. Everything she had heard warned her that it wasn't likely. She also began to board up her heart so that when he did die, she wouldn't shut down like she had before.

She changed into a kimono of a different design. This one allowed her to wear jeans underneath so that if she needed she could loosen the kimono and run at her fastest speed. She also wore a tank top underneath so if it did slip open while she was running, she wouldn't have to worry about flashing people. She wore a kimono that was the color of the setting sun with a picture of a grass hill at the bottom with a Cherry blossom tree on the side with a fox sleeping at it's base.

Maze and her and joined and had breakfast before going to wait outside the hotel for the others to be ready. Eventually she was joined by the team and she dropped back to the back as they started to walk towards the stadium several miles away. She watched everything at once, jerking to attention as Kurama dropped back by her.

"You should be up with your team. I shouldn't be distracted. Not with... What happened yesterday." She said, going back to her job, her hands clasped in front of her. Of course if she was forced too, she could easily take out anyone that tried anything. But so far it seemed that all the demons wanted to see them make it to the Finals.

"What if I told you that I dreamed about you last night?" Kurama asked, his own eyes searching the trees that they passed through.

Rexi hesitated for a second but continued to walk. "About me? Let me guess, you were strangling me so that I'd let you alone." she asked, giving him a ironic smile. She wouldn't be surprised, but what if he had woken when she had kissed his cheek. Should she go ahead and kiss him for good luck? No, this wasn't Yoko. Yoko she wouldn't worry about. Yoko could kick Karasu's bum from here to Limbo and back. This was Suichi, the human, less powerful version of Yoko. It would only give the wrong impression.

"No actually, though I'm surprised I didn't." Kurama joked with a small laugh. "No, I dreamed that you were correcting a fight that I was having with some novice thieves. Then you turned around and started in on me how I had let my guard down."

This one did cause Rexi to stop and turn to stare at him. She remembered that. She had only been with them for six months when that had happened. He had had a fly trapper eat one of the students that hadn't listened to her. Then she and him had gotten in a shouting match over who she was there to critique.

Kurama nodded. He had hoped that would get her attention. "Yes, see. I was hoping you react that way. You see, Yoko is positive now that he did know you, but the memories are locked away." he said, stopping a few steps after she had, turning back to look at her.

Yoko? Rexi's heart throbbed. So he did remember at least something of her. She smiled and looked down at her hands to hide it. Her hair was pulled back however in her customary braid so she was only able to half hide it. "I was his maid. He asked me for help on getting some students of his to start working together. That's all you really need to know I suppose." She told him and started to walk again, passing him quickly so she could catch up with the rest of the group that hadn't noticed they'd stopped.

Kurama smiled as well. He was cracking her. Soon she'd have no option but to tell him what he wanted to know about the locked away memories. Before he rejoined the group, he took a drink of the potion that the team leader of the last group had given him. Hopefully it really would work for him to be able to change into Yoko.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note from Author: All right people. As you've seen I've kind of kept to the way the anime goes through the Dark tournament. If you want to know what is happening between Karasu and Kurama during the fight, go watch the episodes with it in there. I'll will be focusing mainly on Rexi and the other character. I also will be smudging a little bit here and there as you will see, with bring attention to Rexi by Karasu. :) I don't feel like writing up the whole battle for you all. -ROSEY**

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

**Finals: Karasu versus Kurama**

The group was refusing to break apart until it was absolutely necessary. Keiko was hugging Yusuke, demanding that he be careful. Yukina was being fawned over by Kuwabara while his sister Shizuru smoked a cigarette and reminded him to be careful. Kurama was off to the side, standing with a very observant Rexi. She was seemingly ignoring him as she watched the other demons in the place. He was watching his friends, silently counting down the time until he fought Karasu, trying to remember everything he had read in the packet of information that she had provided the day before.

"Speed." Rexi said, her voice soft.

Kurama looked over at her, "Huh?" he asked, uncertain what she meant. There were many things that speed could have to deal with. For all he knew, she was talking about the drug.

"He's known for getting the fight done within short periods of time. No one has seen him have to fight longer than five minutes. If you can last that long, he might start slowing down." She explained, taking her eyes and putting their full force on him. She didn't want him to die, though she was ready for it. "Don't die. That's all I want you to know. If you die, I will wait until I die an honorable death and stalk you down in the after life. I'll then wish you never died. It will not be peaceful for you." The threat was genuine. She meant every word of it.

Kurama stared at her, surprised by her vehemence. He had no plans on dying but knowing that he might have to deal with her for the rest of eternity if he died just solidified his plans on winning. He wouldn't tell her that though. "I have no such plans of letting Karasu kill me." he told her. He was about to reach forward and touch her face when he got interrupted.

"Hey lover boy, come on! We have to go." Yusuke called loudly, bringing unnecessary attention to the two.

Kurama rolled his green emerald eyes. "I could kill him myself sometimes." he joked before leaving the girl to join the rest of the team.

Botan joined her then and watched the boys leave. "Rexi," she started as she watched Rexi watch Kurama go. "You know that he's never going to be Yoko again right? There's no reason to act as if he is." She was oblivious to the look of sadness that had grown on Rexi's face as Kurama had left without doing what he had wanted too.

"He's still part of Yoko. And unless he gets very lucky, he's going to die during this fight with Karasu." Rexi said, becoming the stony self Botan was so used to seeing. "If I can make him laugh before that happens, all the better. At least he'll go to Spirit World happy in one way. I have no wishes of getting involved with a human that is less than half of Yoko's true power." It was a lie. The night before she had been tempted to kiss that human when she'd woken up in the middle of the night. Maybe, just maybe she could be happy with half Yoko? Her mind rejected the thought as soon as it formed in her mind.

"Let's go get our seats." She told Botan and led the way to the seats quickly. Maze brought up the end of their group, taking her position seamlessly. They had often done this. One leads the way into the first threat and the other into the next to keep people off their toes.

She looked at the other girls. Keiko looked almost as nervous as she had been watching Yoko run from the guards fifteen years ago. She decided that instead of sitting at one end of the girls, she would sit next to her. Scooting in, she rested a hand on Keiko's arm. Even though she knew the danger that Yusuke faced in fighting the Younger Toguro brother, she also knew the need for hope in a situation like this. "Keiko right?" She asked.

The brown haired girl turned to look at her and nodded, "Rexi, correct? Are you a demon too? Or are you a grim reaper?" she asked. For a human this girl was definitely taking this whole experience very well.

"No, I'm a demon. I work for Lord Koenma as a body guard however. I've studied the people they are going to fight today. You have no need to worry about Yusuke or the rest of them. They'll make it. You just have to remember to believe in Yusuke and the rest. If you lose that belief... Bad things can happen to them." She said softly, convincingly. Through her touch she allowed a small amount of blood to transfer from her to the girl. It would give her the energy to get through this without dying. It wasn't enough to poison her or get her sick. She smiled at the girl and turned her own gaze forward. It seemed her words and blood had the desired effect because the girl stood up, cheering for Yusuke and the Urameshi team.

Team Urameshi was just going onto the field to stare at the other team that was entering as well. Her eyes snapped on Karasu. She was tempted to cut herself and send as much blood as she could without killing herself at the demon, poisoning him to death with everything from hives to the perilous Yuki Poisoning. She couldn't interfere anyway. This was Yoko and Kurama's fight. She respected that. Yoko wouldn't have been happy if she had ever stepped in on one of his fights and made it easy for him to get a win.

She sat on her hands as the decided who would go first. Her heart sank as Kurama came out onto the arena floor first and Karasu followed suit. She wouldn't take her eyes from the field though. If Yoko was to die, she would watch so if he looked, he'd see his devote Choucho watching. And the fight begun, but they didn't start fighting right off.

Instead, Karasu started to taunt Kurama. Suddenly, she felt the eyes of Karasu latch onto her and then Kurama's head jerked to look up at her. Their eyes locked and Rexi didn't need to be down there to know what Karasu was saying. She rose from her seat and stood on it. Cupping her hands around her mouth she yelled, "Don't you forget my promise Kurama. You die and you'll never be peaceful again!" The other girls looked up at her and started to cheer as well.

Kurama turned his attention back and was engulfed in a whirlwind of rose petals. Karasu started to walk forward as they sliced at him. Rexi remembered this technique. Each of the rose petals was razor sharp and would cut him to shreds if he kept walking forward. Except they exploded as Karasu passed through them.

"Damn him!" Rexi yelled, staring at the fight. She was getting far to attached Yoko's human form. And then the fight really began. Kurama was on the defense and Karasu tried over and over to hit him. Then he used his whip but Karasu blew that up to.

"Maze. You watch the girls." The girl said, getting ready to jump up and run towards the field to get a better cheering position. And then Kurama dodged a little too late and was hit. She was frozen now, her eyes wide with worry. This reminded her of the flight fifteen years before that she had had to watch. Then he was hit in the leg. He was having trouble staying up. She didn't hesitate any longer and jumped forward, getting to the front of the stands just as Karasu threw a bomb at him. "NO!" she screamed, leaning against the wall that separated the stands and arena as the bomb went off. Maybe she had attached herself too much again.

Flames rose from where it had hit Kurama full blast. She was sure that she had lost Yoko again. Except then an energy she knew so well appeared in the mass of flames and smoke. A chill rippled through the crowd as Yoko Kurama appeared from within the smoke. Relief surged through her as the smoke turned blue and white.

Yoko Kurama, body intact, stood there when the smoke cleared. He licked some blood off his hand as he spoke with Karasu. His voice. Lords his voice sent shivers of giddiness down Rexi's spine. Her horror at Kurama's demise was washed away. There was no way that Karasu would last against Yoko. Maybe he threat had sealed the deal after all. She gave herself a little pat on the back as she started to climb her way back to the girls a very smug look planted on her face.

Then she froze. She felt eyes on the back of her neck. She turned and her brown human eyes locked with Golden orbs of sun that were Yoko's. They recognized each other in an instant and Yoko smirked, his eyes traveling down her body and to her hand. At least for this moment, he remembered her and that caused a head rush to grab Rexi and throw her straight to the sun. She held her left hand up, displaying the ring before waking slowly back up to the girls, her hips weaving back and forth tantalizing. When she got back to her seat, Yoko was once again fighting Karasu. Except he was now on the offensive.

Botan was staring at Rexi like she was some kind of love fiend while Yukina, Keiko and Shizuru (I'm hoping I'm getting this name right) cheered on. "Koenma wasn't joking when he said that you and Yoko Kurama went back was he?" she asked the girl.

"Oh Yoko and I? We've only been friends for a few century I think." Rexi said, her mind turning back to her job as guardian. "Now you watch and report. I'll make sure that no one tries to hurt you girls." Her own power skyrocketed as colors began to appear on her face. Lines of red ran from the side of her eyes to her chin as black covered her eyelids. Her hands became laced with green and blue lines. Maze, behind her, roared as his body changed from six foot tall demon to a ten foot tall butterfly. The demons behind him and around them yelled and ran to get away from the sudden appearance of an A class demon and a butterfly that could eat a person in one bite. Rexi then jumped up and sat on the shoulder of her Bond, watching the demons that dared stay close. They must think she wasn't worth paying attention too.

Oh they'd find out just how much she was worth paying attention to if they tried anything on these girls. They were her responsibility and that was that.

The fight went well until there was a giant explosion set off by Karasu. "Maze!" She cried as the waves of energy exploded from the ring. She cut her hand and let a few drops form before making them into a large enough shield to keep the girl's protected. At the same time Maze jumped up and got in front of the shield, his Bond and the girls, adding an added layer of protection. He looked over his shoulder once the waves of energy dissipated. Rexi trembled. The amount of energy that was needed would have harmed Yoko in one fashion or another. "Thank you Maze." she said once her blood shield dropped and Maze returned to the place behind her. She turned eyes to the floor below hoping that what she felt wasn't really what had happened. Kurama stepped forth, no long as a demon.

She slumped in her seat. There was no way that human Kurama would be able to win. Not if Karasu used any more of those bombs.

"Didn't you tell me," Keiko asked, seeing her guardian seem to lose faith, "That you needed to keep believing in them so that they would win?" She smiled at Rexi and then returned to looking at the fight.

Rexi blinked and looked back at Keiko. She never liked having her own lies spit back at her, but for once she swallowed it and turned back, her eyes on Kurama. She prayed to Lord Yama that he won. Oh she didn't want to have to mourn a third time in her life. Not after she'd been so smug earlier.

She forced herself to watch as Kurama fought to stay alive. She looked away though as he was sent to the ground by yet another explosion. A single tear fell. The two girls next to her—Keiko and Yukina—wrapped their arms around her in comfort, causing her to have the strength to look back at the fight. He lay absolutely still for a moment and then struggled to get up only to be surrounded by bombs again. Karasu tortured Kurama with more bombs until he finally gave in to the boredom and sent a whole swarm of them at Kurama.

This time Rexi allowed the tears to stream as Kurama didn't get up. "No." She cried as Juri started to count. 1... 2... 3.. 4.. 5.. 6.. 7... Kurama got up onto his hands and knees. Karasu prepared to attack again and that's when Kurama used his own body to send one last blast into Karasu. Knowing his attacks as well as she did, Rexi rose from her seat, staring with overflowing eyes as the death plant literally ate Karasu. All the while Kurama's life energy started to fade.

"No. No. No. No!" She screamed as Kurama stayed down. "Kurama get up you bastard!"

As the last word left her lips, Kurama got onto his hands and knees and then rose. The girls behind Rexi laughed and cheered. Rexi was in a state of shock. He survived. He had actually done it. Maze touched her shoulder with his wing. And it didn't take any more than that. She burst forward, jumping to his side as Yusuke reached it too. She had stomped on many demon heads with emphasis as she jumped down too, just to make her point.

Despite him losing the point, she helped him off the field, grinning like a cat that had just gotten into the bird cage. "You actually did it Kurama." She whispered as she helped him sit on the grass. "You changed to Yoko and you defeated him." She couldn't help it. She started to cry as she stared to look at his wounds. Even if this was his human form, it was still Yoko's and he was still alive. She reopened the wound she had used to protect the girls and let them fall onto Kurama's more serious wounds.

"Thanks for threatening me Rexi." Kurama said with a half laugh. He started to wince as the pain from his wounds. But then they began to heal and within fifteen minutes his most serious ones were melting away. "And thank you for this healing. You should go to the girls though. Who knows what'll happen with you down here and the others only protected by Maze." And with that he fell into a much needed unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Note from Author: Hello and welcome to chapter 6 of Free me a Butterfly. I just wanted to point out that this chapter is going to cover the rest of the fights in the final in a quick succession. I will not be going as in depth as I did with Kurama's fight. That was completely accidental actually. :) -Your loving author Rosey**_

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

_He was crying. He never cried. And then Maze came out of a room and told him that she was waking up before disappearing back in. He composed himself and waited until he could think of the tragedy and not weep like a coward. Kuronue was dead and he would have to tell the woman they had just rescued for him. He turned and entered the room. She was looking up at Maze asking what the matter was. His heart clenched. Then she looked at him and he delivered the news. _

_"Kuronue went on a mission with me last night. He was killed during the escape." he spoke with a grief filled voice. He could barely look at her as he saw her heart break as he spoke. "I'm sorry. I tried—he—I tried to save him." _

Kurama jerked awake. He was going to have to get used to these dreams if they kept showing up every time he went to sleep. He heard Yoko laugh at him in his head. It was good to know that at least half of him was enjoying them. He looked around. Hiei had already finished his fight and now it was Kuwabara's turn. He didn't see Rexi anywhere as he got to his feet and walked weakly to Yusuke and Koenma's side. Hiei was out like a light after using the Dragon of Darkness Flame. He looked like a child as he slept.

"Where's Rexi?" he asked, bring their attention to him. Koenma raised an eyebrow. At least they were on first name basis now. His plan was working after all. He pointed up to the stands where Rexi was working on getting Yukina to smile, promising everything would be okay with Kazuma-sama.

Rexi sighed, almost out of breath. She'd been running back and forth from Botan to Yukina to Kurama's side to make sure nothing was going wrong while she was talking to someone else. Kurama, she was making sure had the right healing going on. After all it was so easy to mess up with the blood and give him something completely different. When she turned to go back to Kurama's side, she saw that he was looking up at her and was standing. That was one thing off her chest she supposed. She saw him smile and her cheeks lit up like a Christmas tree on Christmas morning. She turned away to the laughter of the other girls. "Oh shush I want none of that thank you. Human's are too messy." She said to the girls.

"Oh come now Rexi. Not all humans are bad. Look at Keiko. And Shizuru." Botan pointed out. "Now those are two humans I'd want on my side if I got into a fight." The two subjects laughed and agreed.

Rexi couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "As I said to Yusuke the night before last. There is only one male that will ever touch me and that is Yoko Kurama. I've spent too long waiting to not keep at least that promise." She said. Botan was starting to like this Rexi. She was easier to talk to and the emotions that she showed were pure, not fake like many other peoples could be. She supposed that that came from not showing them for so long.

"That's kind of romantic if you ask me." Yukina said with a giggle. Rexi liked her. For a ice maiden she was very open to other people's ways of lie. She also felt a connection because they both came from species that kept to themselves normally.

Rexi blocked them out and nodded. "I'm going to go and make sure Kurama is okay. I don't want to be faulted for giving him the wrong blood." She told them before walking calmly down to the wall and jumping over. Kurama met her halfway and smiled at her.

"Thanks for the healing Rexi-san." he said softly.

"You deserved it. At least I now know that Yoko can come out and that he does at least remember a little about me." Rexi said, watching the fight over Kurama's shoulder.

Kurama searched his mind for what she meant. A growl came from Yoko to signify that he'd lost the memories again. He frowned, which grabbed her attention fully. "I'm sorry Rexi but whatever we remembered is gone again. I can tell you that Yoko is angry about it though. He is trying to find out what's blocking the memories." he admitted, hoping the girl wouldn't attack him.

She felt like she deflated to the size of a mouse in the span of five seconds. Was he joking with her? "Oh." She said, her hands clasping in front of her tightly. Well there went her happiness. She supposed that she couldn't have asked for more. Yoko had smiled at her. That was enough for the time. "Well, I'll let you get back to watching and cheering for Kuwabara. I need to get back to my duties." She said, jumping away to land gracefully in the stands before climbing up to the girls and Maze who seemed to have settled himself on the row behind them.

"Everything okay?" Botan asked seeing the lack of expression on the girl. She didn't really want her to revert back to what she had been like before. That would just not do. "Don't worry about him. He'll make it up to you whatever he did. He's good at that." she reassured the girl.

"Oh I have no doubt about that but when Botan? As soon as the fights here are done, I'll be Lord Koenma's body guard again and never have any interaction with him again." Rexi told her, shaking her head. "It's better that we end things now. Yoko still doesn't remember me and that's just as well. We wouldn't be able to make a life together for another 985 years after all. Not unless he wanted to work with Koenma for that long." she told the girls before turning her attention back to the fight. Kuwabara had just finished off the Elder Toguro brother.

Keiko was starting to fidget again. It was Yusuke's turn to fight. It went smoothly once Yusuke started to give a decent effort. But it didn't matter. Keiko's nerves had been shot much like Rexi's had been on the day that Yoko died. "Botan." Rexi cried out as Toguro started to eat the souls of the weaker demons. Botan began to put up a force field that kept the human souls alive. She looked back at Maze worriedly. While when together and if she had paints on they could easily outclass Toguro, they were still separate beings. Which meant that he could easily lose his soul and so could she if they didn't do something. She created her own force field by letting blood continuously trickle down from a cut on her pinkie. She wouldn't lose too much blood, though she was starting to get lightheaded over the overuse of her powers recently.

She was starting to waver when finally Yusuke killed Toguro. And as fate would have it... The stadium was about to blow up. Walls entrapped the team and their friends along with the rest of the demons. Rexi looked around for Shizuru who had slipped away. "Crap. Maze, get the rest of the team and these girls to safety." She ordered before running off. Maze bent down so that the girls could jump onto his back before hoping down to Yusuke and the rest who were fighting over how Kuwabara had played dead to get Yusuke to work harder.

Rexi ran through the crowd until she found both Shizuru AND Lord Koenma. They had less than ten minutes to get out of there alive. The building shook around them. She grabbed Shizuru, who was staring at Sakyo—the man behind the dark tournament that had just forfeit his life with the win of Team Urameshi. They didn't have time for this she thought. Humans really were stupid after all this. "Lord Koenma, Shizuru, we need to go!" She stressed, pulling both of them out of the way just as a part of the ceiling dropped. She hissed as a few sparks hit her face.

Maze waited in human form, pacing in front of the rest of the team. They'd gotten out safely and helped the rest of the demons to escape as well. Now it was less than a minute before the stadium would explode and Rexi wasn't back yet. Keiko and Botan were already crying, worrying for Shizuru and the bodyguard they'd come to rely on for moral support during the days battles. He could feel the adrenaline run through her body but couldn't tell him she was out yet or not.

Kurama stepped forward, the only one not scared of the huge man and touched his shoulder. "She'll get them out. She's still got her promise to hold up." He said, his eyes straining to the building as it exploded. His heart sank for a moment but Maze was smiling. He doubted that a soul would be able to smile if the other half died. He turned his attention to the stadium. And here they came. Shizuru and Koenma at least. "Where's Rexi?" he asked as they stopped in front of her. The look of pain on Koenma's face explained enough. But that didn't make sense. Maze's reaction was that she was still alive. No.

_Go find her!_ Yoko yelled and Kurama needed no further orders. He rushed forward despite the pain it did to the minor wounds she hadn't been able to heal after his fight with Karasu. "Rexi?" he called, searching for her demonic signature. He'd only made it five feet forward before he stopped.

Walking towards him, holding an arm that looked broken, came Rexi. When she looked up and saw Kurama, she smiled before darkness overwhelmed her. She couldn't go any further. Slowly she crumpled, falling to the ground.

Kurama would have run forward to catch her but Maze was already there, picking up his Bond as if she were a leaf but with the same delicateness as if she was a rose from a plant. She was alive. That was all that Kurama needed to know.

They were getting ready to return home. It was a few days after the Finals of the Dark Tournament and they were finally being allowed to leave. Of course the first day everyone had been recuperating from their wounds. Now they were saying good by to the place that held so much pain and death for them. They would be returning with one less person—Genkai. And they knew it in their souls that they'd never find a woman like her.

Neither had they seen Maze and Rexi since the day that she had saved Shizuru and Koenma but they knew what had happened. A demon that had believed he could kill Lord Koenma and get out in enough time had stopped them. Rexi, taking her guard duties as seriously as she did, started to attack them, telling the other two to run. They had but not after seeing the demon throw her into a wall which broke her arm. She'd finished poisoned him with as much blood as she could gather which had left her very anemic. She had just enough time to get out of the ruins before the explosion went off.

Maze had returned the two of the to Spirit World the moment he had picked her up after her collapse and Koenma reported that she was still in the infirmary, but that she would receive another sentence reduction for doing such a splendid job. She only had to serve 3 more years and she would be free. She was still unconscious though and would find out after the gang was back in human world.

Kurama waited for the rest on the way to the ship that would return them to the mainland. When they got there, he looked out at the ocean again and remembered the talk that he had had with Rexi.

_"Correct." Rexi said. He had seen a bit of happiness flicker on her face when he had finished her sentence."Yoko knew one. Actually he worked with on, and her name was Choucho. In Japanese it means-"_

_"Butterfly." He had answered, translating the word easily. "I suppose that fits if she was truly a Ysandi demon." He had thought that it was a beautiful name and would fit anyone that worked with Yoko. _

"_Yes." she snapped, "It did fit me back then!" Humans could be so stupid at times. Even if this human was part Yoko, this was ridiculous._

She had been so testy back then. Even if it was just two days ago. She had repeatedly pointed out how stupid humans were but she'd protected them without any reserve. Kurama supposed that it was just to keep herself safe. She seemed to have gone through many painful experiences and she didn't want to go through any more.

"Hey Kurama come on!" Kuwabara called as they started to go towards the ship. He was about to join them when a voice that none of them expected called out.

"So I suppose you are just going to leave a defenseless old woman here?" Genkai asked, walking into view, standing behind her were Rexi. Yusuke let out a joyous whoop and ran to Genkai's side as the rest did. Kurama,while happy that Genkai was back, was watching Rexi. She had stepped back from the group and looked around. She had her arm in a sling and patches over her face where the fire had burned her. Her blond hair was down around her—the first time he had ever seen it that way. It reached just below her shoulders until the wind picked it up.

Her chocolate eyes were scanning the group and then fell on Kurama. She nodded her head and turned to leave. They weren't her charges any more. And she had never been one for long goodbyes. She stopped as a hand landed on her shoulder. Once more, like she had done with Yusuke, she grabbed the wrist, ready to throw the person over her shoulder but instead she grabbed and pulled back against the body. She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Kurama. Green ones probed brown ones as he gave her a backwards hug. She winced as he juggled her broken arm and he finally released her.

"Come visit me when you get done with your sentence." Kurama said, "Maybe by that time Yoko and I will remember you. Though you've already made an impact on me an I won't likely forget you soon."

Rexi's eyes widened. "I'd never be able to get away with coming to human world." She told him, before smiling, "But I'd sure love the challenge of tracking you down and getting there. And if you don't remember, then I'll make a point of pummeling you until you do. I'm too important to be forgotten so soon. Good bye Sui—Kurama." And with that she jumped into the portal that was waiting for her. Kurama smiled and returned to his friends.

He had no doubt that he'd see her again. She didn't seem like one that would give up on something just because it was difficult. She reminded him of Yoko and he could see why the two of them had become friends.

_I don't suppose I'll be able to forget her now with you interested in her now._ Yoko said with a chuckle and with that Kurama laughed and returned to his friends and they returned to their home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**1 week after Dark Tournament. **

_"Damn you Yoko! Damn you to Limbo and back. Get out!" came a screech from Choucho's room. Out stumbled an equally angry Yoko followed by an enraged Choucho._

_"Calm down you harpy!" he yelled back, dodging a priceless vase which would have decapitated him that broke when it hit the wall behind him._

_"Calm down?" she demanded, a look of pure outrage crossing her face. "You tell me to calm down after you tell me that my family is coming to visit in three days? Because you want to get on the good foot with them about you and I?"_

_"No!" he protested, catching the next ornamental plate that was thrown. "Well yes, but I thought it would be food for them to see you aren't giving yourself to anyone." Of course he had planned something to go with it, but he waned her parents approval first. _

Kurama rose from the dream, looking out at the rising sun through window that rested over his bed. Since he had returned from the Dark Tournament, he had been plagued with dreams of that girl. And they were always confusing. Some of them he remembered; some alluded his grasps; and some like the one he had just woken up from didn't make a bit of sense. What had he been planning? What had been the problem with inviting family to a dinner? He pushed himself up and decided it was as good a time as any to get up and get ready for school. He was surprised as how easy it was to get back into the swing of human life.

He was off to school, and then he had a few chores to do on the way such as getting some food for the dinner he was going to prepare for his mother and her soon to be husband. While it wasn't official until he mother said yes, he was sure that it would happen. And it was time for his human mother to be happy. He was egging her on silently. He smiled at the thought of it. He'd be an older brother too if it happened.

He shook off the thought of Rexi and went about his day. He wasn't very likely to run into her again so why dwell on the fact that she kept plaguing his dreams. It wasn't like they were horrible after all. Just annoying a little.

"You are assigning her to what?" Botan demanded, watching Rexi on the monitor in front of Koenma's desk. It was following Rexi as she went through the stages of getting ready for her new assignment. She had healed nicely though her was still in a sling just to make sure it healed right. She was brushing her hair out of her eyes before frowning and looking at the mirror in front of her. She sighed and let her hair fall back down.

"You heard me Botan." Koenma said, smiling. "I'm having her be assigned to protect the gang full time. She needs to learn that humans aren't as bad as they say. I've given her clearance to work in Human world so long as she doesn't take any paints with her though she can take Maze with her." He thought it was a perfect addition to his plan B.

"And you are having her dress like a high school student why?" Botan asked again. While it was true that this would allow the apparently human girl get some outside experience with humans, she wasn't sure if she was ready for being thrown into human world.

"I just thought she'd be able to fit in more if she dressed as one. And you have to admit the outfits are cute." Koenma said with a huge grin. Botan, who normally refrained from violence towards her boss took her oar and hit him in the back of the head for being a pervert.

_I just hope that she doesn't do anything reckless. _Botan said. She'd grown fond of the girl who had opened up to her during the Dark Tournament and afterward.

Suichi entered his home before he noticed the demonic signature nearby. He was carrying a paper bag full of groceries which blocked his view of girl shoes in the reception area of the home. When he put the bag down he did notice them however and frowned even further. They were the shoes that the girls at his school wore. His ears picked up the movement of his mother and he quickly went to her side, covering his worry with a smile.

"Hello mother. Is there a visitor?" He asked, his voice sweet.

"Oh yes Suichi dear. She said she was a friend from school and you two were to work on a project with each other. I sent her up to wait in your room when she said she didn't mind waiting. I wasn't sure when you'd get home." Shinori Minamino answered, smiling at her son after giving him a hug to welcome him home. She then turned back and returned to setting the table for dinner. "Do you think she will be staying for dinner?"

"I'm not sure mother. We'll see how long the 'project' takes to get done." Kurama replied before leaving to go to his room. He stood outside for a moment. The door was closed. He tried to figure out what kind of demon it was. Their scent was slightly familiar but he couldn't place it. Their energy was no higher than a c class demon. Taking out a rose from his hair he pushed the door opened and looked around. Unless they were invisible they weren't here. Their energy also seemed to vanish from the room the second he opened the door. Now it was out in the backyard. Oh they were going to toy with him? He took protecting his mother seriously. They would regret getting this near to her.

He quickly went back downstairs and went into the garden like backyard. He stopped short, his eyes locking on the scene before him.

Butterflies of many kinds were flying around his garden. They landed on the roses and trees and bushes. They were everywhere. Standing in the middle of this whirlwind of silent flying color was a girl. She wore the uniform for his school—a red jacket over a white shirt and a skirt that ended at her knees. Black slippers over white stockings completed the outfit. She was with her back to him at the time and there were three or four different butterflies on her shoulder and head. Her hair was held up in the back by a jeweled butterfly clip. She looked completely human, but that meant nothing. The demonic energy was coming straight from her.

"May I help you?" he asked.

Rexi was smiling like a fool. She'd never seen so many different kinds of butterflies. And they were so small. She didn't even hear as Kurama neared and she jumped when he spoke to her. She spun and continued to smile at him. "Hello Ku-Suichi." she said, remembering that she had to use his human name as long as they were there. He held his human existence high in a list of important things to keep—which she didn't understand. "Beautiful day no?"

Kurama dropped the rose he had been holding ready to use on the demon. Well this just made his day.

She giggled at his reaction. She was giddy from seeing so many tiny versions of her Bond and from being out of Spirit World for a change. She brushed the butterflies that had landed on her off and walked over to him until she was three feet in front of him. She thought for a moment, trying to remember the right way to greet someone in human world. Normally she's just hi and move on to the important things.

"What are you doing here?" Kurama demanding, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the sight of the windows. He led her to the farthest rose bush and pushed her behind it. It was easily his height after years of cultivation so they could hide behind it. "If you got free and are here to threaten my family I will warn you now. I do not take kindly to threats on my human family. You best leave if that's the case." he snarled.

Rexi had kept up with him to keep up appearances of them just having a brisk walk before starting the project. She was really getting into this undercover deal. She thought she was almost liking it more than fighting. Almost. "Well, Suichi, you needn't worry about that." She said, holding up her wrist where a watch looking object was clasped around her wrist. "I am still under watch by Koenma to make sure I don't do anything reckless on my new job."

"New job?" Kurama asked, relaxing a little now that he knew she wasn't going to hurt Shinori.

"Well, really it's my old job, but technicalities and the such." She said, getting distracted as another butterfly flew by her. "Um," She said, dragging her attention back. "Yes, I'm here to protect you, your family and the rest the gang. I thought I'd tell you first out of the rest of team. Well I'm more here to protect your mother and her boyfriend and his son. I have Maze telling the others now. Yusuke's yelling at him."

Kurama couldn't believe it. Koenma just couldn't leave well enough alone. He could protect his mother just fine now that he was home. "You have to refuse this assignment." He told her. He already dreamed about her at night. Did he have to look at her now too?

"I would, if I could, really I would." Rexi said smiling up at him in a fiendish wish. "But you know Lord Koenma always gets his way. And I can be very nice if given the chance. You don't want me spilling anything to your dear mother about some little boy actually being part demon would you? That would just be horrible."

He didn't like how she was able to pull off being sweet and yet threaten his secret at the same time. She was just a little too good at this he thought. But she was right. Once Koenma wanted something to happen it always happened. "Then why don't you go watch over Keiko or Shizuru? I can protect my family just fine without extra help." he told her after he thought about it for a moment.

"Because they already have demon's watching over them. I set them up before coming here." Rexi said, becoming serious all of a sudden. "And I want to help you figure out why Yoko's memories of me seem to be locked away."

Kurama couldn't believe this. She was still determined to get him to remember. He sighed and looked away from her. He didn't suppose he'd be able to get her to go away anytime soon if she was this determined. And then maybe once he did remember he'd stop having these dreams and could sleep completely peaceful again. "How long are you going to stay today?" he asked softly.

"I don't know why?" Rexi asked, blinking. The anger she had seen build up seemed to have dissipated.

"Because we are having dinner in a few hours. Would you like to stay and try some human food?" he asked, giving her a small smile. If he couldn't get rid of her then he'd suppose he'd just have to make her comfortable and hope she didn't spill any beans around his mother. That was all he needed.

"Human food?" she asked, blinking and tilting her head. This would definitely become an interesting day. She'd be able to try new foods as well. She could feel Maze laugh all the way on the other side of the city. He thought she was like a caterpillar trying everything new in sight.

"Yes Human food." Kurama said with a laugh at her expression. "I'll show you how to make some so you can survive here. Do you have a place to stay while you are here or will you be going back and forth from Spirit World to sleep?" He led her back into the house. She followed like a little puppy as he went into the kitchen and started to work on preparing the food he had brought home from the store.

"Koenma said something about getting me an apartment—whatever that is." She said, watching him with interest. She knew how to cook. Well, she knew how to cook demon food, not human food.

"Cut this." he said, handing her a carrot after getting her to wash her hands. He showed her how to do it into small pieces without cutting herself with the knife before turning to his own job of getting some garlic ready. The food was quickly prepared to Rexi's surprise and she found herself enjoying herself a bit more than she thought.

"Now we wait for it to cook for 30 minutes." Kurama instructed as they set the stew on the fire. He found her very amusing. It was like watching a baby interacting with things for the first time.

"Humans sure take a long time to get things done. You all are a very patient group of beings." She said, going to sit at the bar counter that was on the other side of the kitchen. While she had enjoyed being so near him, it was different than the feeling she got when she had been close to Yoko and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

"Not as a whole. Humans are rather impulsive actually. As you've seen with Yusuke and Kuwabara." Kurama said with a chuckle before motioning for her to come with him. "We'll wait for it to cook in my room. That way mother won't walk in on us talking about such strange topics." He told her before exiting the kitchen. On her way to follow she stopped and plopped a grape into her mouth. Her eyes shot wide as she ate it and followed Kurama. She'd have to find out where to get some more of those.

"Oh! I forgot to mention this before. I was also supposed to tell you that Lord Koenma is hosting a ball as a celebration for winning the Dark Tournament. He's got some pretty important people showing up and he wants the team that won to be there as well. I think it's two days from today. I'll check on it later if that's wrong." She said as they entered Kurama's bedroom and he closed the door behind them.

Kurama turned to stare at her. "You are serious?" he asked, having at first thought she was joking. Koenma was hosting a ball? In Spirit World? That man was insane. That sealed the deal for him.

"Yes. We are all to report there three hours before because he has some news he wants to tell you. He said to say that Shinori would be fine because I'd have extra demons watching out over her." she said smiling as she sat on the bed. She didn't understand why he was so against a ball. They sounded fun. Dancing had always been a hobby of hers that she'd kept secret while she was a thief. Now she'd be allowed to try to dance after years of nothing but fighting. It was going to be amusing to say the least.

He would have to come up with something to tell his mother to explain his absence. Or he could get the two adults in his life to go out on a date maybe? That seemed good with him. He sighed and went to sit on the bed next to her. "I suppose I must come if Koenma is insisting." he said.

Rexi laughed at his resigned look. That was a part of Yoko she recognized. "Has any new memories opened up?" she asked as she thought about Yoko.

"Did you ever yell at Yoko about inviting your parents to visit?" Kurama asked, reminded of his dream from the night before.

Memories flooded of that horrible night when she had found Yoko in bed with her sister. Her shoulder's stiffened as she tried to forget it. It wasn't important any more. They had forgive each other over that. "Yes. It was a horrible idea when he suggested it and it was a horrible idea when it happened." She said, standing and forcing a laugh into her next words. She rose and walked a few steps away to the center of his room.

"My sister thought that we were romantically involved and to spite me she seduced Yoko during dinner with a charm she made. Yoko had asked me to visit him later that evening to go over some plans for a new theft he was planning and I walked in in the middle of... Of their having fun." She said, grinning sheepishly. "That was the night that we split ways, Yoko and I. At least until he decided to pull off that stupid theft of Kuronue's ashes and pendant."

It sounded familiar to Kurama. Oh so familiar. He blinked and looked down at his hands. They were no longer human. They were long and had sharp claws on them. He looked at the woman in front of him, her back to him. She looked so beautiful standing there and he couldn't figure out what this urge was to go and grab her. And then it was gone along with the clawed hand.

"We should go back down." he said, quickly rising. "The food will be done in about five minutes and we should start making the salad!" He had to get away from her. They were far too close for him. Yoko was struggling to come out and pull her against him. He slammed out of the room quickly, practically running down the stairs.

Rexi was left in his room, staring out of the now open door. What had she done now? She followed slowly and went into the kitchen where he was puling apart lettuce and tossing them into a large bowl with tomatoes, croutons, and other nutritious items. He refused to look at her as she came over and started to cut a cucumber up for the salad. She'd lost that connection with him again. Maybe she'd embarrassed him with the thought of Yoko sleeping with her sister? She hadn't meant to talk about that.

"I'm sorry. I should be out watching the house." She said, finishing off the cucumber and washing her hands before starting to leave. It was then that Kurama looked at her. He reached out and grabbed her wrist.

He swallowed and pushed a smile forward. "At least stay for dinner. You should get used to human food and it'd be best if you did it in an environment that is nice about trying new things." He offered. "And we have far more than we are ever going to eat unless you eat as well."

The next hour flew by. She tried all the new foods to the amusement of Kurama and his mother. To his mother, they explained that she was new to the school and the town and had never had their kind of food before. His mother accepted this and when the topic of parents and places to stay came up and she found out that the girl didn't have a real place to stay yet, she offered the guest bedroom to her to stay in. Rexi accepted gladly, being very polite about it.

Kurama watched her throughout dinner and smiled. She was a natural at interacting with humans that didn't know abut demon world even though she had only started. When his mother took the dishes into the other room, he led her up to the guest bedroom—two doors down from his own on the second story of the house. "You should get some rest." he said as he opened up the door and motioned for her to go in.

"Suichi." she said as he turned to go. She looked at him with calm eyes, but her heart was a hurricane. "Thank you."

Kurama smiled and nodded. "No problem Rexi." And with that he closed the door behind him as he went to his own room to work on some homework. This was definitely a new change. He was willingly letting a demon stay so close to his family. Only Hiei ever was allowed this comfort. And even then the small fire demon normally stayed out on the roof or something.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_He was no longer Suichi. He had regained enough memories to remember that he and Choucho had been very close after Kuronue had died. Very close. He rose from Suichi's bed and walked silently down the hall, his white tail swishing from side to side. He'd almost gotten out earlier in the day but with Suichi aware of things around him he had quickly fallen back into his cage. Now while Suichi was asleep, he had fought his way out. He opened the door to her room as he slipped in. White ears picked up most of the sounds of the house as he looked around the room for the girl that was supposed to be staying there. _

_She wasn't in the bed that was still made. If he knew Choucho well enough, she'd be out pacing the area, making sure no one got in. He followed her scent out of the room and down out into the garden once more. He froze when the sound of crying caught his ears. His slid gracefully and silently behind a bush and looked around at the girl. His heart leapt suddenly as he saw her. _

_She stood in the middle of the garden next to a rose bush. Her milky white hand was reached out and touching one of them. Her shoulder's moved up and down as soft sobs echoed form her lips. _

_She had thought she'd be able to handle it. She thought that she'd be able to hold herself together. After all it had been fifteen years since his original death. But the moment he had closed the door on her earlier that evening, she had felt her heart snag. She couldn't do it. She'd tell his mother in the morning that she'd found a place with some relatives and just go to the apartment that Koenma had gotten for her. _

_She'd watch from afar and not interact with –With the human that was started to inch his way into her heart. It had only worsen when she looked out her bedroom window and seen the rose in the moonlight. It was the only white one there among a bed of red. _

_Yoko exited his hiding spot and stepped behind her, wrapping strong arms around her. He felt her jerk as she realized she wasn't alone. "For someone who is supposed to be guarding Suichi's mother and Suichi, you are doing a very poor job if I can sneak up on you." He whispered into her ear in his husky voice. He felt her shudder and he released her. _

_She spun, staring up at the dream that was coming true in front of her. Yoko stood there, all six feet of gorgeous Yoko. The half moon played off the silver hair and glinted against his eyes. Rexi's mouth opened to say something but she couldn't. She had felt his arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her close. She hadn't expected it. She had- "Yoko." she said, her voice tight with guilt. She had been unable to get him to leave when she had been trapped. If he had left the second the trap was set he might have made it and not had to –_

"_Choucho. What is this?" he asked, grinning down at her. He moved closer to her and suddenly it wasn't Yoko any more. It was a demon she hadn't thought about for a very long time. "You leave me with Yuki poisoning and think I won't find you?" He reached out, grabbing her by the neck. She screamed, clawing at him._

Suichi was over her, shaking her shoulders. She was screaming in his arms, trying to get away. His mother came in, worry plane on her human face. "Suichi? What's wrong with her?" she asked.

"I don't know mother. Rexi, Rexi come on wake up you are scaring us." Kurama called, dodging just as her hand whipped out, nails slightly longer than earlier.

"No! I won't. I won't take it off you Guie. You are going to rot!" she screamed.

"Mother, go get some cold water I think she's having a nightmare." He said, as the woman he'd grown to love ran down the stairs to get the water that was requested. Waiting until she was downstairs, he dug his fingers into the girl's skin. Pain always brought him out of nightmares. She gasped, eyes snapping open as pressure was applied to her arms.

She reached out, scratching the man reflexively. Red welts appeared on his cheeks. Her hand went up to cover her mouth. She stared up at him and started to shiver as she hid her face in his shirtless chest. She was happy to find that he slept shirtless at home as well. At least that was until she remembered her dream. Before she could apologize and try to explain, Suichi's mother entered the room carrying a glass and pitcher of water.

"Thank you mother." Kurama said taking the glass of water and helping Rexi drink it down.

"Poor dear. Are you okay? You were yelling quiet fiercely." the woman said, refilling the glass after Rexi drank it down in one sitting.

Rexi looked up at the woman and tried to smile, her hand shaking. Kurama reached up and held her hand to keep the water from spilling all over her. "I'll be fine. I'm sorry to have scared you." She said. She didn't think she could look at Kurama though. It had been too hard during the dream. There had been Yoko. And then he'd changed and-

"Excuse me." She said, getting up quickly and scrambling to the bathroom across the hallway. The door slammed behind her and the noises of someone throwing up could be heard by Suichi and his mother.

He winced. "Mother, I think we are going to be up for a while. You go back to bed. I'll make sure that she gets some rest." He said, smiling at his mother who still looked worriedly after their guest. "Please mother. You will only overstress yourself. She's a tough girl. She'll be okay." Convinced by his cheer, his mother went downstairs to her room once more, looking back up a few more times before going on back to bed.

Once she was back in bed, he put the glass that he now held down and went to the bathroom. Opening the door slowly, he entered, looking at the girl that slumped in front of the toilet, her head resting on the rim. He knelt next to her. "Rexi, what is really wrong?" he asked. "Who is Guie?"

That didn't help. Another wave of nausea came up and he reached over to rub her back in small circles, calming her. This time she pushed herself back to lean against the wall across from the toilet after flushing it. "Guie. He's a demon that thought that I was his slave once he tricked me into working with him. I used a very powerful poison to get away called Yuki poison. It can only be cured by the Ysandi that placed it in the person's system. It was just a horrible dream. That's all it was. Just a horrible dream. He has to be dead by now. I put it on him well over four hundred years ago. It starves the body. No matter how much you intake it eats that and then goes back to eating the body." she explained, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"And he was in your dream tonight?" he asked, moving to sit next to her.

"Yes." Rexi admitted, her eyes on the dream, not seeing the scene before her. "He was trying to get me to reverse it." She wouldn't mention that he had turned into Yoko. It didn't matter. She'd figure that part out on her own. "Look, I really appreciate this—you making sure that I'm okay and everything. But you should go back to bed. You have school tomorrow and I need to make sure the house is secure. I shouldn't have fallen asleep anyway." She tried to push herself up only to slide back down. When Kurama tried to help her, she jerked away from him.

"I'm fine." she reiterated and walked slowly away, her shoulders set.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Note from author: Since I suuuuck at describing dresses that are real I am giving you all the link to the dress that I have described here in that Rexi is wearing. :) Hopefully that will help you figure out what I'm trying to describe. -Rosey**_

LINK: www. cmadeleines .com/ products/ Gonzalo-Calderon-1990s-Red-Vintage-Ruffled-Samba-Dress .html

((Don't forget to take the spaces out of it when you look at it since this isn't doing too well with giving out links. :|)

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

Rexi turned to Kurama's mother and smiled. "Thank you for letting me stay the night. I got a call from my brother Maze though. He said that the house is ready and that ma and pa want me to be home for a house warming dinner. It has been my pleasure to finally meet Suichi's mother. He speaks very fondly of you." She told her before following Kurama out the door. They were going to the same school, she couldn't very well stay at the house and watch over Suichi's mom all day. That would look a bit weird and she'd never e able to fully explain it.

"Are you sure you want to go halfway across town just to sleep?" Kurama asked as they turned to walk towards his school. He had let her do her own thing once she had left the bathroom. He was just hoping that she wasn't going to go crazy from lack of sleep.

"I'm fine, but thank you for asking." Rexi lied. The nightmare had haunted her for the rest of the night. She had never known Guie's specialty she had realized. And that frightened her more than the dream. What ifs were plaguing her mind as she watched their surroundings.

"After last night, I don't want to intrude. It's obvious," she said, stopping and touching the red marks that were on his cheek where she had scratched him, "That I need to sleep somewhere I can't hurt anyone but myself." Her hand dropped to her side.

Kurama had stopped when she had and almost wished she hadn't let her hand drop. He shook his head though. "I'm fine. It's you that I'm worried about," he admitted, "So you have one nightmare, that doesn't-"

"I don't dream Kurama. Ever. I don't ever remember dreaming. And it felt far to real." she cut him off, holding her hands up to stop him from objecting. "Just let me do what I do best. It'll be best that way. After all, I can't do my job right if I have you worried about me as well. I'll figure out what is wrong and then I'll get back to you."

Kurama watched her and sighed. Should he argue with her? His instincts and Yoko's agreed. She wasn't worth arguing with. "IF you have Maze with you I don't suppose I have much to object to." he finally said before starting to walk towards his high school again. "So what are you going to do today? Follow me around school?"

"No." Rexi said, grinning. Although that would be fun. She had after all promised to bug him until he returned Yoko back. "I wish I could. I have to go and make sure that everyone is doing well. I have a feeling that once you are in school I'll send Maze to watch you. And I'll go watch after someone else."

Suddenly she disappeared and Kurama shook his head. She knew how to exit that was for sure. Except she hadn't. Not really. Standing on a lamppost near by she watched him from her new vantage point. A small flying demon flapped over to her, hovering next to her. "Keep an eye on him. And tell your twin back in Demon world to find out all they can on a demon named Guie. His specialty in particular." she said, losing all humor from her voice as she watched Suichi Minamino enter a school and with that she truly vanished, moving almost as fast as Hiei could.

The next two day vanished by and Kurama found that he hardly interacted with Rexi at all. He could sense her sometimes when he was at home studying or eating, but he never actually saw her. He supposed that was best. His mother kept asking after her though. He promised to bring her by again for dinner when his mother had wanted to go to the house and meet her family and welcome them to town.

Now he waited out in his backyard. His mother had left with her boyfriend on a date and he was waiting for Rexi to show up to take him to spirit world for this dance of theirs. He wore a tux he had rented. It was white with a red tie. Who knew how formal it was what with it being with Koenma and such.

A rustle of leaves alerted him of her presence. He turned about to say something about her being late when he caught sight of the woman. And she was a woman in that dress. She wore a full length silver dress with red roses around the middle. It was held onto her body by two straps that were in the form of a short sleeve cover. It ruffled on the left side, leaving a small gap where he could see a tiny bit of her upper thigh before trailing a little on the right side. (see link at beginning of chapter) Her hair was brought up to the left of her head and held up by a rose hair clip. Unlike most women though, she wore no heels to make herself taller but a pair of silver sandals. Her lips had been covered with some gloss that would make her lips shine while her eyes had a small amount of silver eye shadow.

"Before you say anything, Botan did this." She told him, feeling foolish. She hadn't worn a dress since she had left Binjiko's castle all those years ago.

"Remind me to tell Botan that she has amazing taste for a grim reaper. I think you look absolutely lovely." Kurama said, brought out of his staring contest with the dress. He couldn't help himself. It hugged her in all the right places. Coughing, he looked around, "So where is the portal?" He asked, nervousness taking hold.

"Oh," She said, waking from her own staring by his voice. She thought that the suit looked very good on him. "It's over by the rose bush." She said, walking swiftly over and jumping in. It gave her just enough time to calm her racing heart before he appeared next to her on the other side.

Spirit World had been transformed for the occasion. Guards (ogres) had been posted everywhere. They pointed them in the direction of the ball quickly. When they reached the doors that would let them into the ball, Rexi paused. She didn't really feel comfortable going in. She was supposed to be on guard duty. A warm hand slipped into hers and she looked over at Kurama who smiled at her. She saw a flash of Yoko and returned the smile.

Swallowing back fear, she pushed the doors opened and was about to flee down the stairs that had been set up before Kurama's hand kept her from going. "Take this slow. Look you have all the guys attention." He teased as he walked down the stairs next to her at a slower pace as a herald from somewhere announced their arrival.

Demons and important officials of all kinds were there. The party was in full swing as they neared the bottom of the stairs. Kurama had laced her hand around his arm like a proper gentleman as they descended the stairs. The moment they were on the ground floor, she pulled her arm away. "I am your body guard. Not your date." She emphasized as Yusuke and Kuwabara came over, openly gawking at the woman that had entered with Kurama. "Best close those mouths you two. Or I'll shut them for you." she threatened.

"Come now Rexi, be nice to the boys. You look absolutely fabulous." Botan said coming over with a grin. She took a camera out quickly and snapped a picture. Who wasn't to say this over-bubbly girl couldn't have memories frozen in time to remember when the rest of her friends were gone?

Keiko, Yukina and Shizuru were there as well and all came to tell her how beautiful she looked. She smiled tightly and thanked each of them before escaping towards a dark corner so she could watch the whole room. She was on duty whether this was a party or not. She grabbed a drink as it passed her however to help her calm her rocking nerves. It had been almost as if Yoko had been leading her down the stairs and she had been ashamed that she had been almost glad that it had been Kurama's on her hand. She made a disgusted look as she realized that it was champagne. These kids shouldn't be drinking this! She'd just have to tell Koenma that later. It was just enough alcohol to help her relax.

When she saw that Kurama had gotten caught up in dancing with another woman, she stiffened. Rexi's eyes diverted quickly and she left the room, going out to a balcony that overlooked the River Styx below. If she dropped herself over the edge, she'd be swept to the afterlife and no one could stop her. She felt a prescience behind her before she heard the soft steps. She turned, expecting it to be Botan to tell her to come join the party, or Kurama wondering if she was okay again.

Yoko stood watching her with gold eyes. "Choucho." he said softly. Then with a wicked grin, the body melted away into a demon she knew all too well. Her heart started to race again, but not in the good way.

"How did you get in here?" She demanded. She would have backed up even more if it wouldn't have thrown her over the edge into the Styx.

Guie stepped out of the light to join her in the darkness. "The same way you just saw me only with a different form. I heard that you'd be here. Wanted to let you know that my dream that I sent you wasn't just a dream. I will get you to reverse what you've gone to me. And then I'll make you wish you'd never left my service." He said, his words becoming ugly and twisted the more he spoke.

She kicked out, forgetting she was in a dress and tripped. And then he was on her. The doors that led into the banquet room slammed shut by a gust of wind. He covered her mouth to keep anyone from inside hearing her as she screamed. And it was just like the dream.

He got on top of her, forcing her to stay on her front so she couldn't fight as much. "I'm just lucky you didn't bring that damned Maze with you. He won't be able to get here until it's too late. He's in human world isn't he? Watching over Yusuke's mother? Oh yes, I've been following you for quiet some time. Now, just a little notch here," he ripped the shoulder cover down and cut her shoulder enough for blood to come up, "And I'll be free from this curse." He leaned down and very sensually licked up the blood that came forth.

Of course she fought the whole process. She wrenched her shoulders from side to side, hoping to break his nose or worse. And by the time that anyone else noticed what was happening, the demon had consumed enough blood to cure him. With a dark chuckle, he kissed her cheek with bloody lips and got up. "Thank you my dear. Now be ready. I'll never leave you alone now." he said as the doors burst open, Yusuke running towards him. He dodged the punch and grinned, disappearing quickly into the crowd and out of reach.

When Kurama leaned down and touched her shoulder, she jerked away, righting her dress as she stood, looking for the demon that had just harmed her. Oh he was going to not leave her alone was he? Just as well because she was going to make sure that he never slept again for fear of her coming and killing him slowly.

Her brown eyes could have heated glass enough to melt as she ran after him. "Get out of my way!" She called but a pair of hands pulled her back. Yusuke was already running after the man, Kuwabara on his heels. She turned to glare at the man that was holding her back. "Let go of me Kurama. I am going to finish that little worm!" She hissed.

He watched her with eyes that spoke of understanding but of also logic. "You are hurt." he stated.

"Of course I'm hurt! That bastard did this to me! I need to go and do something about it!"

"No. You need me to look at it and make sure it isn't serious and hasn't ruined your dress." Kurama corrected, walking around back to look at the damage.

She was getting impatient. How could he just stand there and let other do work? This was not the man she had fallen in love with. Yoko would have gone after him in a split second demanding retribution for his actions.

"You shouldn't have been out here alone. Or you should have told me more about him when you told me about your enemies." came a husky voice from behind her. She didn't want to look. The last few times she had looked at Yoko he had changed and become hideous and hurt her.

"Kurama this isn't funny. Just finish looking at my wound and let me go after this creep. And I've never told you about any enemies I have." She said, trembling as she felt claws run over the skin next to her wound. Long silver hair brushed her arm as the fox man leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Strong hands pulled her tightly against him.

"I'm not Suichi. I'm Yoko." he said unnecessarily as he kissed his way up to her ear. "Now, you do as Suichi says. He knows what he's doing Choucho. I don't want to hear him tell me that you've been uncooperative. He can help you get rid of Guie. Trust him. I don't remember everything yet about our time together. Only that you and I were involved. I've kept that much to myself though. I don't want Suichi to know I can come out at free will yet."

She shivered as the words were followed by a kiss on the neck and then the experience was gone and Suichi was blinking and went back to checking her wound. "Now are you going to listen and let me get this looked at by a nurse?" he asked, unaware of the brief time that Yoko had slipped out.

She wanted to go against Yoko this time. This demon had sneaked into Spirit World and hurt her. He'd touched her. He could have stolen her away and no one would have noticed if Kurama and Yusuke hadn't gotten out there in time. She couldn't admit it to them, but she needed help with this problem. Maybe she should have stayed home. "Fine." She said after a few moments, her shoulder's slumping. Her arm still hurt after all from the break that had been sped up due to her undercover work but hadn't been fully healed. She'd landed on it wrong when he had knocked her to the ground.

The ball was cut short after that. The demon wasn't caught and Koenma had to get everyone out in case there were more. Rexi insisted on staying and helping him but he refused.

"You were the subject of his attack Rexi. You go back to that apartment, or better yet, stay at Kurama's house. I don't want you anywhere without someone with you. Until maze comes to get you, you stay with Kurama." He had ordered.

And now, once again, she was sitting in Kurama's room, waiting for him to disburse his mother from checking in on him. They hadn't told her that there had been a ball nor that she was coming over and Kurama didn't want to lie about it. She looked around the room and laid back down. He'd already been down there for ten minutes. What could he be talking to her about. She turned her back tot he door and closed her eyes, the wear and tear on her body quickly pulling her into her customary dreamless sleep.

When Kurama returned to his room, he was ready to tell her she could sleep on the bed and he'd on the floor. But she was already out. He grinned. She was curled up with her back to him, the small amount of light given in by the window over his bed making her look like a sea of silver covered her with small hints of read all over. He walked over and sat down on the bed, laying down silently and closing his own eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

**_NOTE FROM AUTHOR: All right, there may be a little bit of confusion here, so I will explain again. The dream that Kurama/Yoko and Choucho/Rexi have shared can be found in 'A Shared Dream' I will point out now that it is an OPTIONAL READ. One does not need to read it to understand this. It is a Lime. __It basically goes into detail about what the__y dream but is not NEEDED to understand this chapter. I did my best to make it make sense without having to read it. :) -ROSEY  
><em>**

Chapter 10

_They were touched, their bodies intertwined. Yoko and Choucho groaned together and..._

"Suichi! You are going to be late for school!" It was Suichi's mother's voice

Kurama sat upright up, his eyes wide, his cheeks almost as red as his hair. Rexi sprang up from her own sleeping position, her eyes going towards the door and then over at Kurama. It clicked the moment their eyes met. They'd both had the exact same dream. About a time when Yoko and she had been madly in love. And they had made that love real by giving each other their bodies.

The knocking came again. "Yes, mother, I'm up, thank you!" Kurama said, looking at the door. When he looked back, Rexi was gone. He sighed heavily and went about his morning rituals in a hurry. Then the doorbell rang. He didn't have time to deal with whoever it was so he just ignored it and let his mother answer it.

"Suichi, Rexi and her brother are here." his mother called and he groaned inwardly. However, he put on a happy face for his mother and quickly went down the stairs.

"Sorry to keep you two waiting. Goodbye mother. I love you." he said before quickly closing the door behind him. His smile slipped as he saw the fury in Maze's eyes and the sheepish look on Rexi's face. "What is this? I get double duty toady?" he asked, brushing past Maze. The truth was he could barely look at Rexi. In his—their—dream he had seen parts of her he had never thought about seeing. While he did find her attractive, he had also learned manners while living in the Human World. Those manners did not extend to seeing a woman naked in a dream which he had shared with her

Rexi followed him, squeaking as Maze stepped forward once they were out of sight of his home and slammed him against the wall. He bared his sharp teeth. "You will forget whatever happened in that dream. Do you understand me?" he snarled, glaring at the man in front of him.

"I can't. Hasn't she explained it to you already? I'm Yoko and Yoko's me. We share memories. Now if you'll let me go I need to get to school." Kurama snapped back. Only the demon's grip tightened. Rexi quickly slid in between Maze and Kurama, quiet aware of how close their bodies were.

"Maze. Go take a walk. Please. It really wasn't his fault. Please go. I'll make sure he gets to class and then I'll come back I promise." She said quickly. He seemed to calm as she spoke and released Kurama's shirt. She was reminded that that was the sort of way he had reacted to when it really had happened. He'd been furious. Yoko had to practically attack him until he feel unconscious before he'd calmed enough to talk to.

She turned to look at Kurama, but could only get her eyes to land on his shirt. She had no reason to feel ashamed of what happened and yet here she was. What had happened between her and Yoko had been heat of the moment and now another person knew it had happened. Why did his approval mean so much to her? She was just there to make sure his family and him were safe between cases.

Kurama was also very aware of the proximity of their bodies. There was less than three inches separating him from her. When Maze turned and left them, he relaxed a bit. "Listen, Rexi I didn't mean to dream about that." He started to say, before she shook his head.

"I wanted to thank you for letting me stay last night. Despite the obvious, that was very nice of you. Now that I think back, I think you were the most logical of us last night. I don't know a thing about Guie and was probably being a fool trying to go and kill him." She said, quickly changing the topic from the dream. She took a step back to further the distance between them.

Kurama was reminded of the reason she had been staying the night. With her in his school uniform, he could no longer see the cut on her shoulder. He wondered if it was okay. "Tell me what you do know while we walk. I do need to get to school soon." He offered, turned and started to walk away.

She was glad he had accepted the change of topic and explained what she had sid to Yoko all those years before. "Guie was what I thought was a c class demon. He offered me a sixty-forty split a few centuries before I joined Yoko and Kuronue. He imprisoned me after our first job together and didn't let me do anything but work for him. That lasted for about a century. I decided one day to use a poison called Yuki poison. It was supposed to starve his body over a period of a century and a half. I don't understand why it didn't. The only way to break that curse and poison is for the victim to ingest blood from the Ysandi who placed it on them." she explained as they walked briskly to Kurama's school.

They got to the gates of his school just as she finished, leaving Kurama a few minutes before he would have to leave. "Maybe we should stick you with a guard instead." he joked, feeling a little bit better about the dream they shared. If she was willing to forget it had happened, then so was he. Growing serious when she didn't accept the joke as funny, he looked at the sky. "Is there any way at all that he could have gotten help from a demon to keep from wasting away?"

"The only way to stall it is either to get the Ysandi to change the curse or kill themselves. There is an old legend that says that if a Ysandi other than the one that placed it gives blood every full moon to the one that has it, it'll stave off the process but no Ysandi would ever free a demon of Yuki poisoning. To the Ysandi's, a Yuki poisoning means that that demon tried to enslave the poisoner. It's revered and agreed without question." She said, dismissing the idea quickly.

_Domica_

Kurama frowned. What was Yoko trying to tell him? "Is there any Ysandi that has a grudge against you?" he asked, checking his watch to make sure he wasn't going to be late.

"No. I don't think so." Rexi said.

_Domica_ Yoko said again. _Ask her about Domica_

Just then the bell rang and Kurama turned to rush to class. He'd ask her later about whoever this Domica person was. Yoko was not happy he hadn't asked. But he didn't have time for his stupid love hate relationship with Rexi right now. After all he had chemistry to attend.

–—–

Rexi jumped into the largest most green tree in Kurama's school's yard and hid on the top branch. While she had been lying to Maze that she would return, it had gotten off Kurama's back for the time being. She watched him through the window of his class. His question about anyone having a grudge against her had hit a growing knot in her gut that told her she was forgetting something. She didn't like it when it did that.

She was half-dozing when one of her demons reported to her. Her eyes widened as the reporter spoke. She dropped from the tree, looking back up to where Kurama's classroom was. Should she waste time going and get him or go to the report. She ran to his house and slammed in the door. There were crashed objects everywhere. She ran through the lower story of the house, looking for his mother. Her heart snagged when she didn't find her. She ran upstairs to search there. She paused when the sound of the floor creaking came from the guest bedroom. She looked around for a weapon.

She felt stupid. She hadn't brought any paints and had told Maze to go back to watching over Keiko who was more than halfway across town. By the time he got here it'd be too late. She grabbed a piece of glass that was on the ground next to a broken picture of Suichi and his mother. Then she tore her white shirt to give her a grip on it that wouldn't slice her hand open. She had to find some way of getting weapons underneath this school uniform that weren't obvious.

She pushed the door open with her foot, looking inside. The woman stood over Shiori Minamino. She had a drop of blood hovering over her hand. Red, gold, and black paints twisted over her hand and her face giving the idea of a tribal signature. "Oh good." the woman said, "I was so hoping it would be you my sister. Now who is Kurama going to blame when his mother starts to waste away?" She tilted her hand and let the blood drop towards the human.

Without thinking Rexi dived forward, stretching out her arm so that the blood droplet sank into her skin instead of the unconscious body of Kurama's mother. Domica smirked and ran out of the house before Rexi could recover.

It felt like her world was thrown upside down. Pain coursed through her body. She knew without having to study the poison's composition what she had accepted willingly into her body. She had to find her sister. She had to make her give her the cure.

She pushed herself off Shiori after checking her pulse to make sure that nothing more than unconsciousness had been inflicted on her. She stumbled out of the guest bedroom and got to the stairs before she collapsed. Too much pain. Her sister had inflicted Yuki poisoning but had added her own little twist it seemed. Along with her body wasting away, she would feel this pain through every part of her body. Ysandi didn't teach this to their young ones. This one curse was inherent in all Ysandi's mind.

It had been the spell that had forced their long ago oppressors to all them to go free. It caused the victim horrible pain every second they were awake. She could fell it curl around ever muscle in her body, making it hard to breath.

_This is just great._ She thought. _Not only do I have to worry about Guie, but now my sister is taking revenge on me too? What is this? Beat up on Rexi week? And more importantly... How did they find me?_

Darkness infolded her, protecting her from the pain. For once she was more than happy to go into that darkness rather than fight it. She just hoped that Kurama got home early today. Or that Maze was able to get to her before Shiori woke up. How would she explain the torn shirt and her not being in class?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"She won't wake Koenma. I found her in the hallway of my house. Someone broke in and attacked my mother and now she won't wake up. I want to know what happened." Kurama demanded, his hands in fists slamming into the desk in front of him. He was more than angry. He had sensed demonic energy in his house that hadn't been Rexi's and he wanted to know why. "What have you gotten me dragged into this time? Why was my mother attacked?" He was like a fox backed into a corner. He was getting very angry.

"Kurama, hold on. Stop, back up." Koenma said, toddler body trying to get into the smallest corner of his giant chair that he could. His personal secretary George the Ogre also looked very scared. "Your mother won't wake up?"

"No. Rexi. Rexi won't wake up. I was able to get my mother to wake up, but Rexi won't." Kurama snapped just as Yusuke burst in.

"What is this?" Koenma asked, "The invasion of Spirit Detectives. What is going—What are you doing carrying Maze?" His eyes were wide with curiosity and a small amount of fear. What was he going to do if these two started to attack him? Kurama could kill him that was for sure. Yusuke he was sure by the look on his face wasn't going to do that but, it was Maze he was worried about.

Yusuke had Maze slung over his shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong with him but he was following Keiko around making sure she was safe and the next thing I know she's calling me saying he collapsed after roaring with pain. She dumped water, put ice cream on his forehead and everything else she could think of to wake him up but he wouldn't budge. He was starting to draw attention so I thought that bringing him here would be the best." He explained dropping the demon on the floor and rolling his shoulders. "Damn he's heavy."

A small amount of his anger turned to worry as Kurama looked at Maze. Was that normal? He doubted it very much. "Koenma if you don't find out what's going on I'm going to start getting very angry." He said, turning his deadly green eyes on Koenma.

_Ask him to look for a demon named Chime and Limrin. They will know what is wrong with their sister and brother_. Yoko offered up, his worry and anger almost tangible to Kurama's mind.

"I don't know much about Ysandi demons Kurama. The best we can do it put them in the infirmary here and hope they wake up." Koenma offered, looking helpless.

Kurama growled at this and turned and stormed out. He went to the portal room. He knew it would be useless to ask Koenma to track down two demons out of all of the Makai. He rolled his shoulders and tried to look like his normal calm person. He smiled at the portal operator. "Lord Koenma needs me to take a quick run to the Makai and bring back two demons. Rexi seems to have caught something and these two are supposed to know what is wrong with them. I thought since I have nothing to do I'd do it for him and let him keep more assets here with Rexi unconscious and all." He said. The woman nodded, captivated by his smile and politeness. She opened the portal to coordinates that he gave her once Yoko was sure what they were.

He dropped through, crouching as he landed and looked around him. _All right Yoko._ He said and he shivered as 'Suichi' morphed into Yoko who took off at the fastest speed he had. He reached the village within three hours. The Ysandi demons in it started to gather again, much like they had done during his first visit.

"I'm not here to fight you!" he called, his eyes glancing through the crowd, trying to find the two he had come for. "I am here to find Chime and his Bond Limrin. Ysandi Choucho has come down with something and is in need of Ysandi help. Neither she nor her own Bond Maze has been able to be woken from a coma that they have both entered. Where might I find Chime and Limrin?"

"What are you waiting for you old fox?" came a voice behind him. He turned to look upon the man that stood there with a pack over his back. He had grown quickly in the last century since Yoko had seen him. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen in human years. His Bond, Limrin, stood next to him. "Well come on Yoko. Don't want sis to die while you give me googly eyes." the boy teased, bringing Yoko back to himself.

He nodded and led the way back to the portal and jumped through. The two had kept up good enough and when they entered Spirit World's portal room, a very angry Koenma was standing there waiting for them. Yoko dripped away and Kurama stood there looking at Koenma with equally angry eyes.

"You wouldn't have sent for him. I knew where to find him. He'll be able to help Rexi and Maze." Kurama explained.

"Whoa there Yoko, when did you get a human looking form? You are kinda cute like that." Chime teased. He was taller than Kurama, having gotten height from his father. He was already six feet tall and he was only 400 years old, maybe 450 if he was lucky. He then turned black eyes on Koenma. "And Lord Koenma, son of king Yama, it's a pleasure. I hear my sis isn't doing too well. Wanna take me to Cho's side soon so we can figure out what's ailing her so she can get back to her sentence in demon reform camp?"

Koenma gave Kurama look that said he'd hear about this later but nodded and look the two men to the infirmary. In the six hours that Kurama had gone to get her brother, Rexi had been moved to the infirmary in Spirit World and hooked up to a few machines that would keep her stable. When they entered a nurse came over.

"She seems to be in incredible pain, or so her brain waves say. It's like something it poking each muscle in her body-" the nurse said before Chime broke in.

"Something is. Her own blood is actually." he said, his normal smile falling to show grimness. "Her blood is acting as a needle and every inch it touches becomes tender after multiple pokes. Only it would seem like a poke to us. To her it's instant and continuous pain beyond what a normal person would be able to withstand." His eyes held hatred.

"There are only two ways for a Ysandi to feel this type of pain. She can either cause it herself by releasing a vile of her own blood with this curse mixed in into her body. Or another Ysandi does it to her." Chime finished. "This was used to get the Ysandi free from enslavement thousands of years ago. It won't be healed easily. It also explains why Maze and her have shut down. It is a suicide spell if she gave it to herself and she would have shut down her body to it so that it would take her swiftly. If not, then her body shut it down so that her mind wouldn't have to put up with it."

Kurama's face showed horror. What kind of people would come up with something that horrible? His mind supplied the answer: A people who had been worked to death by demons who didn't care.

"Thankfully there is a way to clearly determine which it was. If you search her blood for any traces other than Maze's and her own, you'll be able to see if she inflicted this upon herself. Look for any DNA that doesn't match her own." Chime said as he neared where his sister and her Bond were. Oh he had an idea about what had happened, but until they had crossed out self infliction, he wouldn't mention it. "Oh and make sure that the blood doesn't contain any other problems with it. If another Ysandi did this they have have doubled the dose by giving her something else. Though that likelihood would be very low."

The nurse followed his instructions as Limrin went over to sit next to Maze on the bed. When she started to protest, Limrin's eyes snapped to her with a look like he would eat her if she tried to make him leave.

"And don't mind Limrin. Maze is his biological father. He has a right to be there with him." Chime said, feeling the worry that Limrin refused to show. "See, when one Bonds with a Ysandi butterfly, the produce three eggs. Each will eventually hatch when another Ysandi is going through the Entrance. Families normally take from the same batch so older siblings have the mothers or fathers of their younger siblings Bond. If you try making Limrin leave his father, you'll have a very pissed and very deadly butterfly on your hand."

He went back to checking his sister's uncovered body for entrance wounds. First he worked on her legs where her shoes and socks had been taken off. He was starting to relax. He hadn't found any entrance wounds on her legs. And if it was a case of self poisoning he could cure that quickly. When he pushed the sleeve of her red blazer up he saw what he had dreaded. A splotch of red was on the sleeve of the white shirt below and on the skin underneath. All he could do though was hope that it wasn't what he was thinking. He pushed the sleeve back down and started on the other arm.

When he was done he turned to Koenma and Kurama. "Now, what are we going to do for fun while we wait for those tests to be done?" he asked. Koenma gave him an incredulous look and looked at Kurama.

For the next hour while the blood was being taken and tested, Kurama sat down and talked with Chime, explaining why he was in a human form rather than Yoko's. Chime seemed to find his tale almost funny.

"So let me get this straight. Yoko died, came, possessed your little human body, forgot all about our kind and my sister until she magically appeared at the Dark tournament and started yelling at you?" He asked with a laugh. "That sounds like something Yoko would manage to pull off. Though that sucks about him dying and all. My sister hasn't been the same the last couple time's she's written. Her letters a hollow and not as lifelike. I suppose that explains it and all."

It was then that the tests were done. The rest of the team had been called to Spirit World just in case they had a case to work on. When Kurama got there, eh knew the moment he saw the nurses face that something wasn't right.

"There was foreign DNA in her system." The nurse said, looking at Chime rather than the rest. "Also, there seems to be a bacteria in her blood system too that no matter how we try won't come undone. We introduced some human tissue to the blood and the bacteria ate it up." She confirmed Chime's fear. She winced as she saw the hatred and anger that grew in his eyes. "Sir?"

He turned and stormed from the room, heading back the way he had come to the Portal room. Kurama and the rest followed. "Chime where are you going? Aren't you going to help her?" Kurama called just before he entered the portal. Chime froze and turned.

"I am. The only way to get her to wake up is to find that blasted woman that did this to her!" He snapped back. "Domica couldn't just settle with sleeping with Yoko in front of Rexi. She had to go and poison her with Yuki. Snow poison! Do you remember what that is Yoko? Do you know what that will do to a Ysandi? It won't just eat her body. It'll devour her soul and maze's at the same time." He was trembling with anger. "That mixed with the other poison and who knows how long she'll last. If I don't find Domica soon, we- We won't have a Choucho to save." His voice was laced with the need to get moving; to find the person that had done this to his sister.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It hadn't taken much convincing to get Koenma to let Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama to go to Demon World to track down Domica. And neither of the humans complained much. Because of Maze, they hadn't had to worry about getting Keiko and Yukina out of the Dark Tournament stadium. Because of Rexi, Shizuru was still alive and out in the real world continuing to live. It gave Hiei a reason to return to Demon world. Or at least that was the reason he gave the others. This was their time to pay her back so they wouldn't have that debt hanging over their heads. One never knew when a demon might come to collect a debt.

Chime was impatient, wanting to and capture his sister quickly. He kept mumbling about how it was a bad day when Ysandi turned against each other. Limrin embraced Chime one last time, giving him a pack of paints to go. Then, in front of the rest, the two demons shared a passion filled kiss. The two human boys were disgusted. Hiei didn't seem to care. Kurama was reminded of how Rexi had worn the ring since she had promised Yoko her hand and how she had said that Bonds didn't normally get romantically involved with one another.

Finally they split up and went to demon world. Limrin stayed with his father, watching Chime go before turning to his side.

They went through five Makai cities searching every informant that Yoko had once had. They even went as far as to cash in some IOU's from demons that Hiei and Yoko had collected over the years. It had been three days when they finally got a promising lead.

"Recently a lot of portals for small time demons have been opening over by Yasuka." said a lizard demon in a dark alley way. "Some say that a demon has been trying to find one of the legendary Ysandi demons so that they'd take some poison out of his system. He's been paying every demon that comes to him with information a pretty penny they say if the information is true and brings him closer."

Kurama looked over at Chime for a second before looking back at the demon. This one had been particularly unfriendly at first and so Yusuke had gone as far as to beat him up a bit. Now he had his arm pulled back, ready to deliver another if he must. "What else do you know friend?" Kurama asked. "My associate here will know if you are keeping anything from us. And he won't hesitate to hit you again."

"Okay! Boy you really are Yoko huh? Just like him. The demon's been having victory celebrations for about a week now. Some say he found the Ysandi and has but a bounty on her head. He doesn't want her to come back and curse him again. Some say that another Ysandi is working for him to keep him healthy while his body rejuvenates from the poisoning. Some others yet say that he and the second Ysandi are together in the sack if you catch my drift." the demon blabbered.

This got Chime even more angry than before. They took off shortly after getting directions to the Yasuka town. It was more than a day away. Koenma contacted them via Yusuke's compact mirror thing and Chime commented on was far to cute for a man like Yusuke.

"What is it Koenma?" he asked after shushing Chime.

"We finally got information on Guie. You have to be careful about him. He can change into the form of anyone he's seen. He can also take skills from demon's he's killed like Rando only he doesn't have to learn them first. He has the gift to walk through dreams." Koenma called through the little mirror com.

Kurama nodded, "That might explain her nightmare." he said. He quickly explained about the night she had stayed over. He got a weird look from Chime and jokes from Yusuke and Kuwabara before he glared them into silence. "She was screaming like someone was trying to murder her. Then she got sick. She was convinced that it was Guie in her nightmare."

They rested after that though. Kuwabara was having a hard time keeping up and the rest of them had only gotten a hour or two of sleep over the last few days each night because of the need to go and get her a cure. Kurama was on look out when Chime came over and sat next to him, not looking as if he was going to leave until he said something. After five minutes of waiting, Kurama looked over at Chime. "What is it?"

"You know I figured it was just my own silly romantic side. That and I haven't seen my sister in almost thirty years." Chime said, resting back with his hands folded behind his head. "But that was before I got to know you."

"You figured what?" Kurama asked, his senses stretching out to make sure no demons were heading their way.

"I figured that the reason she followed you and stayed at your house was because you were the closest she could get to Yoko. But now that I think about it. That's nothing like my sister. And then you were talking about her dream and the dreams you've had since meeting her. I think that Guie is playing with you. I think that he purposefully was waiting for you to go after that treasure and when you died he played with your memories and made you forget." Chime said, looking up at the darkening sky. The sounds of snoring was coming from behind him. "And now that you have met my sister again, you are being allowed tantalizing views of your life with her."

"What are you saying Chime? That this Guie was the orchestrator of this whole thing? Of her joining Spirit World as a body guard? Of her finding me at the Dark Tournament and screaming her lungs off at me?" he asked, looking over at Chime now. "That's a bit over dramatic don't you think?"

"I'm saying that this is a trap." Chime told his old friend, looking over with intelligent eyes. "I may act like a fool Kurama, but I can but three and three together. It makes sense. He gets cured by my sister. Domica goes after Cho in order to get you to come after her. We go and .. And then what? They are expecting us. I'll put money on it. We can't just run in. They have a plan and Domica isn't a stupid vengeful spirit. She'll play this to her advantage in one way or another."

Kurama didn't like how his theory sounded but he couldn't hide the logic about it. "Then I'm just going to have to make sure not to get my fox foot stuck in a trap won't I?" He asked with a grin. For some reason the idea of a challenge was interesting to him. Karasu had been a challenge to fight. These two were playing puzzles and those were more his forte.

Chime laughed and nodded. "I suppose we will all have to hope you don't get your foot stuck. It wouldn't be good if that happened. I didn't want to tell the others, but I think you should know being Choucho's friend. You being Yoko and all in soul if not in body." he said, looking up at the stars again, unable to look at Yoko's human form as he spoke his worry. "By my calculations, she's only got about five more days. After that her body will start to deteriorate. If we don't get Domica to make an antidote before then, she may start forgetting stuff. After ten days, she won't have a mind to use. This mixture goes after the brain first since it's most human like. Then she'll be eaten from the inside out."

Kurama felt sick. He had to get that antidote for her. Not for Yoko's sake but his own. He was surprised at how secure that knowledge was in his mind. And then he figured out why. Not only was he becoming more like Yoko, he'd been able to change into Yoko for longer than fifteen minutes. It hadn't really affected him until that moment. As his memories woke, he was becoming more like Yoko. He grinned as Yoko chuckled in his mind. "Then I suppose we should get going as soon as everyone had a few hours rest." he said.

Chime looked over at him. He wouldn't tell Kurama, but he had the look of someone that was willing to do ultimate evil to save a person he loved. It gave him the shivers and he agreed. He had the same feeling in his own body after all.

It took them the whole next day to get to the outskirts of Yasuka. It was a medium size town by Demon standards meaning it could hold up to three hundred demons in its borders. Yusuke was all for running in and killing as many demons as he could before he found Guie and Domica. Hiei actually agreed with him on that one—not because it would save Rexi and Maze but because he just liked killing things. Kurama shook his head.

"No. It's obviously a trap. Guie and Domica could have killed her. They want something else and if we run in they'll just get what they want." He told them. He had an idea of what they wanted. Yoko. At least that was Domica's want. Guie's demand? he was still working on that. "Chime and I will go in together. If we don't return in three hours, you three come in. Preferably killing."

The three argued but Kurama didn't change his mind. An hour later he walked in with Chime by his side. Except the moment they were out of view of the rest of the team, Yoko shoved his way out, apologizing to Suichi beforehand. When Chime looked at him with a questioning look, Yoko gave him one of his evilest grins. "They have annoyed Suichi. They've pissed me off." He explained and stalked forward. Demons that were partying separated, leaving a hallway of bodies leading to the square.

"Looks like you were right Chime." Yoko said, his voice relaxed. "A trap that we set off knowingly is always a better trap than one we walk unknowingly into."

"Agreed."

They neared the square of the town, their eyes landing on two thrones. They sat back to back. The one that was visible was Guie who was smiling tightly. "Ah. So you all have arrived. We were beginning to worry we hadn't left enough breadcrumbs. Weren't we dear?" He asked. Domica rose form the other throne and came to sit on the arm of the other throne, her hand going around Guie's shoulders.

"Hello Yoko dear. It has been some time. Come to save little miss dead?" Domica asked with a cold laugh.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Note from author: Hello all. I just wanted to thank ALL of you dedicated readers that have made it this far. So you are probably wondering why I'm wasting my time sending you this note. No I'm not just doing this to keep you from finding out if Guie and Domica are to be punished as they deserve, though that is partially the reason I'm here. I have a few side notes first off. AS you have no doubtless seen, I am crap at fighting scenes so I will be apologizing for the crappy ones that will fall thus. **_

_**Second, I have decided to make this the last chapter of this particular Act of the Butterfly Chronicles as I have named my stories that have to do with Choucho/Rexi. The new one will go by Wake up Beautiful Butterfly and will be posted soon. Each act will consist of 13 or so chapters but each have a plot line that connects in one way or another with the previous while still having a plot line of it's own. **_

_**Third and Last, the leaf that turns into a blade is an actual attack the Kurama/Yoko can use. It's very low level and only featured in the manga once or twice. AKA: I'm not just pulling it out of nowhere.**_

_**Now, without further ado, I give you the last chapter of Free Me a Butterfly. -ROSEY D**_

Chapter 13

Yoko couldn't help it. His rage was overflowing now. He glared at the woman who laughed as if he was making a funny face. Okay. Anyone that could laugh at _his_ glare had to be insane or worse.

"Ah, I missed you Yoko. So tell me, is your human meal ticket okay? Choucho got there just as I was about to poison her. Such a waste of Ysandi body, but alas, she pushed me too it." Domica taunted.

He had knew that his human mother had fit in somehow. So this demonic whore had broken in to get Choucho back in the house by herself. She must have been watching her for quiet some time. That or they had a spy in their ranks. But the fact she had hurt his mother was what spurred him on now. He ground his teeth knowing he couldn't well explain it to this monster. "You are going to come with us and do as we say, or I'll make sure that you die a very long and painful death." he said.

The two demon masterminds started to laugh. Guie shrugged off her hand and stood. "Or so you say Yoko. I have seen you in human world. You are nothing but a human lover. You care nothing for the old demon ways anymore." He said, stepping down from the platform the throne and his 'queen' were on. "If you really want us to return poor Choucho to healthy status, you'll have to beat us into submission. Like you used to do whenever you had a disobedient subordinate."

"My pleasure." the fox demon snarled, walking forward. Discretely he pulled some seeds out of his pocket and held them in his hand, willing them to grow. He would beat these two into such a submission that they'd never blink without his permission.

Guie chuckled and pulled an ax off one of the demons that were forming a large circle around them, enclosing the dais, Yoko and Chime, and the two other demons in it. It would take Yoko a few moments for the plants to grow. It had been years since he had used these particular plants and the seeds were dried out. Now he just had to hold him off. Guie flew forward.

A leaf appeared in Yoko's right hand and shifted into a blade as sharp as the ax that Guie was using*. As the seeds in his hand were brought back to life, he blocked ax thrust and slipped under it, kicking out and connecting with skin. Guie flew back.

Chime suddenly pushed him out of the way as a blood dart from Domica flew passed and hit a demon behind him. Chime had taken the time that Guie and Yoko were fighting to change slowly. Blue streaks of paint outlined his eyes and trailed to his forehead to form a droplet in the middle. His hair which he had pulled back into a ponytail blew in the breeze as he faced off with his sister. His lips had been painted black and all up and down his arms were the markings of a warrior Ysandi—green, yellow, and violet lines weaving back and forth. He had already made two cuts—one on his lips, and one on his left arm intersecting each of the three lines. Above his hands two blood drops formed. The smaller of the two he threw at his sister, before rushing forward. The smaller one distracted her long enough for him to slip behind her and push the golf ball size on into her back. She stiffened.

He leaned in and with a tone that was scarily calm for someone who had been so angry earlier he whispered, "This will keep you still while we deal with your lover. Have fun watching us kill him, like I have no doubt you did when you made Cho see Yoko screw you." And with that he caught her as she fell back, paralyzed. He situated her in the throne so that she was forced to watch the scene before her.

Guie was being beaten back by Yoko who had gone on the offensive the moment he felt his seeds waken in his palm. Finding the perfect moment, he cut the demon's chest with his sword. With a quick burst of speed, he wound his way up and through the mans defense and pushed the seed into his body far enough that when Guie stumbled back to try and dig it out, he only caused himself more pain. Finally he had the seed out, but by then it was too late. The creature that Yoko had unleashed had tasted it's victims blood. The second the seed dropped to the ground it sprung up, wrapping around Guie.

Yoko sprang back quickly so he wasn't caught up as well. He stood and watched as the Sinning Tree came to life. In it's clutches Guie was already long gone. It had produced tentacles that burrowed into the skin giving off toxins that made the man relive his worse fears while Guie was fed off of again. Yoko smiled. Poetic justice he supposed. Whether Guie liked it or not, he was going to be killed by having his body eaten. He hoped that Rexi would appreciate it.

He turned, having been so focused on taking out Guie he'd forgotten temporarily about the one they were really there for. Chime was standing next to her, approval in his eyes. Yoko then turned cold eyes on the woman that sat stiff in the chair next to him. "She's not dead is she?" he asked, walking over and poking her. Her eyes snapped to him, pain and loss in her eyes.

"Oh good. I'll let you know that your partner is going to die a long painful death. Just as I promised. That tree is going to make him relive whatever he fears most while it eats him." Yoko snarled at her before picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. "She won't move while we call a portal will she?"

"No. She's locked up for a good five hours." Chime told her before looking up. A chaos was coming from the way they had come in. "It hasn't been three hours yet has it?"

"No. Those idiots just like to fight." Yoko replied and decided that any demon that was here had some part hurting Choucho. Grinning devilishly, he knelt and dug a little pocket into the ground and drop a few seeds he retrieved from his hair into it before covering it again. "Come. You need to get out of here before I awaken these little babies." he said to Chime, handing over his sister before walking off, his attention on making his pretties grow.

As Chime fought his way to Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara who indeed had started to talk two hours and thirty minutes early, Yoko turned his full attention to the creatures he was about to unleash. With his back to the demons who were watching them go, he poured his spirit energy into the plant and they burst from the soil. Towering thirteen feet in the air, the Ojigi Plants went after all the demons it could with it's fifteen different 'heads'.

Yoko grinned as he heard the screams of demons behind him as they were eaten. He could feel Suichi cringe inside, but they deserved it he told himself. They had all helped to make Choucho now need the help of her sister. They deserved to die.

It was soon after that they found themselves in Spirit World, drawing blood from Domica as she sat frozen, unable to protest. Kurama had returned to his human form and was weakly watching. He hadn't thought that it would take that much from him, but he was exhausted. He hoped she suffered. She deserved to go to Limbo for all the pain she had been causing. Of course she didn't say it though. What happened to her now, was up to Koenma.

He followed as Chime went to his sister's side. He was like a silent ghost as he watched the girl he'd come to like. The woman that Yoko had promised to marry. Chime push a needle full of blood from their sister and a mix for the cure of the pain giving demon into Rexi's arm.

They waited. And waited. An hour past and nothing changed. Kurama was starting to get angry again, and he could tell Chime was frustrated. They returned to the chamber that held Domica. Her guards were down and she was standing there as if waiting for them. Her eyes held a dark, twisted humor. "And here I was thinking it would be horribly hard to get into Spirit World." She said as she sent blood drops into the two men who weren't ready and thus unable to get out of the way before the blood droplets hit and entered them.

"Sleep well you two." She walked forward, more blood droplets hovering over her hands. "Oh and say hello to my dear sister will you? Of course, you won't remember any of this anyway."

The two men felt their minds claim unconsciousness as the woman passed them and entered the free air of Spirit World. Kurama pushed it back, he had to get to Rexi. Limrin ran in then and got hit with his own blood droplet and he collapsed next to Chime, grabbing his hand before he passed out. Kurama pushed himself forward. Yoko lent him enough strength to get to Rexi before they both passed out. Kurama lay and inch from her, his hand outstretched towards hers but not touching.


End file.
